ABSTRACT
Most existing political systems face harsh conflicts, even existential doubts, due to failures in fostering identification among their subjects with the extant political community. In many contexts, such failures give rise to several well-know problems – ranging from
1 ethnic exclusion and conflict; to 2 social upheaval against alienation; and 3 subsequent social and political destabilization; to 4 sharp but stable political cleavages; to 5 racism and insurgent extreme-right movements; to 6 undermining civil rights and political liberties; or 7 providing obstacles to the democratization of political systems; or even 8 risks of involution in unconsolidated democracies.
