Decoding the Flag: How Ideology and Identity Shape National Symbolism

Mira Elwood in Politics & Policy June 2025 • 4 min read.

"Uncover the surprising factors that influence our feelings about national flags, from political beliefs to cultural identity"

National flags are more than just pieces of cloth; they are potent symbols that represent a nation's history, values, and identity. But in an increasingly polarized world, how do our individual beliefs and affiliations shape our attitudes toward these symbols? Do conservatives and liberals view the flag differently? And what role does our sense of national identity play in shaping our perceptions?

A 2018 study published in Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy sought to answer these questions by examining the complex interplay of ideology, identity, and attitudes toward the New Zealand flag. By analyzing data from a large, nationally representative sample, researchers uncovered surprising insights into the factors that influence our feelings about national symbols.

This article delves into the key findings of this research, exploring how system-justifying and system-challenging ideologies, as well as political party affiliation and cultural identity, shape our perceptions of national flags. Get ready to uncover the hidden meanings behind the flags we wave and the symbols we embrace.

What Motivates Our Flag Attitudes?

Surreal illustration of the New Zealand flag transforming into symbols of different ideologies and cultural identities.

The New Zealand study revealed a fascinating dichotomy in how different ideologies shape attitudes toward the national flag. System-justifying ideologies, which support the prevailing social systems and status quo, were found to be negatively correlated with support for flag change. In other words, individuals who held more conservative beliefs, displayed right-wing authoritarianism, or embraced historical negation and symbolic exclusion were less likely to support altering the flag.

Conversely, system-challenging ideologies, which question the existing social order, were positively associated with support for flag change. Specifically, individuals who supported multiculturalism were more likely to favor a new flag design. These findings suggest that our underlying political beliefs and values play a significant role in shaping our perceptions of national symbols.

System-Justifying Ideologies: Conservatism, right-wing authoritarianism, historical negation, and symbolic exclusion.
System-Challenging Ideologies: Support for multiculturalism.

However, the study also uncovered a surprising twist. Support for the National Party, the center-right political party in New Zealand, was positively associated with support for flag change, despite the party's general alignment with system-justifying ideologies. This seemingly contradictory finding highlights the complex interplay of factors that influence our attitudes toward national symbols.

Flags, Ideologies, and Identities in Harmony

The New Zealand flag study offers valuable insights into the complex factors that shape our attitudes toward national symbols. By understanding the interplay of ideology, identity, and political affiliation, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the diverse perspectives that exist within a nation. As we navigate an increasingly polarized world, it's crucial to recognize the power of symbols and the role they play in shaping our sense of belonging and collective identity. This study serves as a reminder that our attitudes toward national flags are not simply a matter of personal preference, but rather a reflection of our deepest-held beliefs and values.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1111/asap.12169, Alternate LINK

Title: Who Is For (Or Against) The National Flag? Ideological And Identity‐Based Motivators Of Attitudes

Subject: Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

Journal: Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy

Publisher: Wiley

Authors: Nicole Satherley, Danny Osborne, Chris G. Sibley

Published: 2018-10-18

Everything You Need To Know

According to the New Zealand study, how do 'system-justifying ideologies' influence views on changing the national flag?

The New Zealand study indicates that 'system-justifying ideologies' such as conservatism, right-wing authoritarianism, historical negation, and symbolic exclusion correlate negatively with supporting a change to the national flag. This suggests individuals adhering to these ideologies are less inclined to alter the established flag as it represents the status quo they support. These concepts reflect a desire to maintain traditional values and historical narratives, resisting changes to national symbols.

In what ways do 'system-challenging ideologies,' such as support for multiculturalism, relate to views on redesigning a national flag, as indicated by the research?

Conversely, the research indicates that 'system-challenging ideologies,' specifically support for multiculturalism, show a positive correlation with advocating for a flag redesign. This suggests individuals embracing multiculturalism are more likely to favor a new flag that better reflects the diverse cultural identities within the nation. This perspective views the flag as a symbol needing to evolve to represent inclusivity and modern values. The study does not explore other system-challenging ideologies such as socialism or anarchism and their impact on flag attitudes.

Why was the study's finding that National Party support was linked to flag change surprising, given the party's general ideology?

The study showed that backing the National Party, a center-right political entity in New Zealand, surprisingly aligns positively with favoring flag change, which seems contrary to the party's typical association with system-justifying ideologies. This unexpected result highlights that political affiliations do not uniformly determine attitudes toward national symbols. The study suggests complex factors, possibly including strategic political positioning or specific interpretations of national identity within the party, might influence this stance. A deeper analysis would require studying internal party communications and individual politicians' statements.

How did the Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy study investigate the connection between ideology, identity, and attitudes about the New Zealand flag?

The 2018 study published in *Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy*, examined the relationship between ideology, identity, and attitudes towards the New Zealand flag. It did so by collecting and analyzing data from a large, nationally representative sample. The study's design allowed researchers to identify correlations between different belief systems such as system-justifying ideologies (conservatism, right-wing authoritarianism) and system-challenging ideologies (support for multiculturalism), and preferences regarding the national flag. However, the study does not detail the specific methods used for data collection such as survey questions, statistical analysis, or control variables.

What broader implications does this research have for understanding how political beliefs and cultural identity shape our views on national symbols?

This research highlights the significant influence of both political beliefs ('system-justifying ideologies' vs. 'system-challenging ideologies') and cultural identity (support for multiculturalism) in shaping individual attitudes toward national flags. The findings suggest that a nation's symbols are not viewed uniformly but are interpreted through the lens of personal ideologies and cultural affiliations. This understanding is vital for navigating discussions around national identity and symbolism, especially in increasingly polarized societies. Understanding how these attitudes impact social cohesion and political discourse would be valuable.