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The Origins of Common Identity: Evidence from Alsace-Lorraine

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  • Sirus H. Dehdari
  • Kai Gehring

Abstract

We study how more negative historical exposure to the actions of nation-states—like war, occupation, and repression—affects the formation of regional identity. The quasi-exogenous division of the French regions Alsace and Lorraine allows us to implement a geographical regression discontinuity design at the municipal level. Using measures of stated and revealed preferences, we find that more negative experiences with nation-states are associated with a stronger regional identity in the short, medium, and long run. This is linked to preferences for more regional decision-making. Establishing regional organizations seems to be a key mechanism to maintaining and strengthening regional identity.

Suggested Citation

  • Sirus H. Dehdari & Kai Gehring, 2022. "The Origins of Common Identity: Evidence from Alsace-Lorraine," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 14(1), pages 261-292, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejapp:v:14:y:2022:i:1:p:261-92
    DOI: 10.1257/app.20190772
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    Cited by:

    1. Nicolas Berman & Mathieu Couttenier & Victoire Girard, 2023. "Mineral Resources and the Salience of Ethnic Identities," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 133(653), pages 1705-1737.
    2. Cáceres-Delpiano, Julio & De Moragas, Antoni-Italo & Facchini, Gabriel & González, Ignacio, 2021. "Intergroup contact and nation building: Evidence from military service in Spain," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).
    3. Vlachos, Stephanos, 2022. "On war and political radicalization: Evidence from forced conscription into the Wehrmacht," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    4. Despina Gavresi & Anastasia Litina, 2025. "The Legacy of Growing Up in a Recession on Attitudes Towards European Union," CESifo Working Paper Series 12082, CESifo.
    5. Kersting, Felix & Wolf, Nikolaus, 2024. "On the origins of national identity. German nation-building after Napoleon," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(2), pages 463-477.
    6. Klein, Miriam & Wiens, Marcus & Schultmann, Frank, 2022. "Borderland resilience, willingness to help and trust–An empirical study of the French-German border area," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    7. Giacomo De Luca & Andrea Montalbano & Steven Stillman, 2025. "Serving Countries, Shaping Views: Military Conscription and Attitude Towards Immigrants," CESifo Working Paper Series 11990, CESifo.
    8. Andrea Bonoldi & Chiara Dalle Nogare & Martin Mosler & Niklas Potrafke, 2020. "Do inheritance rules affect voter turnout? Evidence from an Alpine region," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 31(4), pages 395-445, December.
    9. Fontana, Nicola & Nannicini, Tommaso & Tabellini, Guido, 2023. "Historical roots of political extremism: The effects of Nazi occupation of Italy," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(3), pages 723-743.
    10. Kukic, Leonard & Arslantas, Yasin, 2022. "Religious change and persistence in Bosnia: Poverty, conversions, and nationalism, 1468-2013," IFCS - Working Papers in Economic History.WH 35286, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Instituto Figuerola.
    11. Davide Cipullo & Luca V.A. Colombo & Michele Magnani & Massimiliano Gaetano Onorato, 2025. "Historical Newspaper Markets," CESifo Working Paper Series 12194, CESifo.
    12. Gäbler, Stefanie & Kellermann, Kim Leonie, 2025. "Administrative areas and regional identity formation: The case of East Germany," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    13. Hong, Justin Jihao & Lyu, Yuhan, 2025. "Not always a Panacea: History education and identity-building in Taiwan," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 229(C).
    14. Ruzzante, Matteo & Pizzimenti, Cristoforo, 2025. "Brigandage and the political legacy of monarchical legitimacy in Southern Italy," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).
    15. repec:bge:wpaper:1495 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Yu, Ziqin & Xiao, Xiang & Ge, Ge, 2025. "Shadow banking regulation and firm investment efficiency: Evidence from China's new regulation of capital management," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(PB).
    17. Yuki, Kazuhiro, 2025. "Cultural Difference, Social Identity, and Redistribution," MPRA Paper 124753, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    18. Gehring, Kai & Kaplan, Lennart C. & Wong, Melvin H.L., 2022. "China and the World Bank—How contrasting development approaches affect the stability of African states," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    19. Tao, Yunqing & Wang, Dianjie & Ye, Yongwei & Wu, Haitao & Zhang, Yao, 2023. "The role of public environmental concern on corporate social responsibility: Evidence from search index of web users," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    20. Kai Gehring & Joop Age Harm Adema & Panu Poutvaara, 2022. "Immigrant Narratives," CESifo Working Paper Series 10026, CESifo.
    21. Kukić, Leonard, 2023. "The last Yugoslavs: Ethnic diversity and national identity," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    22. Felipe Carozzi & Edward W. Pinchbeck & Luca Repetto, 2023. "Scars of war: the legacy of WW1 deaths on civic capital and combat motivation," CEP Discussion Papers dp1940, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    23. Kai Gehring, 2019. "Overcoming History through International Organizations - Historical Roots of EU Support and Euroscepticism," CESifo Working Paper Series 7831, CESifo.
    24. Ramon Caminal & Antonio Di Paolo & Ada Ferrer-i-Carbonell, 2025. "Bilingual Education and Identity," IREA Working Papers 202509, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H77 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism
    • N43 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • N44 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - Europe: 1913-
    • N93 - Economic History - - Regional and Urban History - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • N94 - Economic History - - Regional and Urban History - - - Europe: 1913-
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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