Where does place-based identity come from? The role of place experience

Abstract

In recent times, there has been an upsurge in research on the rural-urban divide. A consensus is emerging within the academic community, recognizing that place of residence is influential for a number of political attitudes and behaviours, and that place can be understood as a distinct social identity. However, this raises the question of where this identity comes from in the first place. We address this question by drawing upon social identity theory, place experience and the contact hypothesis as theoretical frameworks. Our study examines the explanatory power of two kinds of lived experiences: First, past experiences, i.e. place of residence while growing up, number of moves, and years spent in one's place. Second, present experiences, i.e. contact with members of the in- and outgroup. Our empirical analysis leverages a comprehensive dataset encompassing responses from more than 13,000 individuals across four European countries, collected in the year 2022. Our results reveal that having grown up in the same type of place – rural or urban – and having frequent contact with people from the ingroup increases place-based identity. This is not just true for the absolute level of contact with the ingroup but also for the ratio between ingroup and outgroup contact. Our results not only contribute to a deeper understanding of the ramifications associated with place-based identity, but also are crucial for addressing and ameliorating the divide between rural and urban areas.