Strategic Studies of Culture

Strategic Studies of Culture

Cultural Identity and Social Participation in the University Sphere (A Comparative Study of Data from 2014 and 2024)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Mohammad Ganji 1
Amin Heydarian 2
Seyyedeh Kowsar Mirali 3
Narges Khademi 3
1 Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Kashan, Kashan, Iran.
2 PH.D. in Sociology, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Kashan, Kashan, Iran
3 M.A. Student in Social science research, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Kashan, Kashan, Iran
10.22083/scsj.2025.523198.1285
Abstract
Introduction: This article presents a comparative and analytical investigation into the relationship between cultural identity and social participation among students at the University of Kashan over a ten-year period, examined at two time points: 2014 and 2024. Drawing upon Ronald Inglehart’s theoretical framework on social participation and the perspectives of Anthony Giddens, William Gudykunst, Marilynn Brewer, and Masaki Yuki on cultural identity, this research seeks to examine the trajectory of these two key variables in an academic context and to explore how their relationship has evolved over time.
Method: The study employed a social survey methodology, with the statistical population comprising all students at the University of Kashan. Using Cochran’s formula, a sample of 500 students was selected, including 250 students surveyed in 2014 and another 250 in 2024. Data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire, the validity and reliability of which were confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient.
Findings: The descriptive and inferential findings reveal significant differences between the student groups of 2014 and 2024 across all dimensions of cultural identity (including national, linguistic, historical, and artistic aspects), as well as in the variable of social participation. Notably, the mean scores for all variables were significantly higher in the 2014 dataset than in the 2024 dataset. This decline was particularly pronounced in the national and historical dimensions of cultural identity. Hypothesis testing results confirmed a direct and statistically significant relationship (at the 99% confidence level) between all dimensions of cultural identity (national, linguistic, historical, and artistic), both individually and in aggregate, and students’ social participation in both time periods. These findings are consistent with Inglehart’s view of cultural values as a fundamental motivation for collective action and align with Gudykunst’s theory, which emphasizes the influence of cultural identification on social interactions. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis further indicated that the explanatory power of cultural identity in predicting social participation has declined over the past decade. While the combined dimensions of cultural identity explained 29.1% of the variance in social participation in 2014, this proportion decreased to 16.6% in 2024. This reduction may indicate an increasing complexity in the factors influencing social participation and the emergence of new determinants in the recent decade.
Conclusion: In conclusion, the findings indicate a concurrent decline in both cultural identity and social participation among students at the University of Kashan over the past decade. This trend may be interpreted as reflecting broader shifts in values within Iranian society, as articulated in Inglehart’s theory, as well as the dynamic and “reflexive” nature of identity in the modern era, as proposed by Giddens. The study highlights that strengthening students’ cultural identity-particularly its national and historical dimensions-could serve as an effective strategy for enhancing social and cultural engagement within the university setting. Accordingly, it is recommended that university cultural programs be reassessed to better understand these transformations and the needs of the younger generation, with the aim of reinforcing cultural identity and fostering greater motivation for social participation.
Keywords
Social Participation
Cultural Identity
National Identity
Linguistic Identity
Historical Identity

Subjects

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Strategic Studies of Culture
Volume 5, Issue 4 - Serial Number 20
Winter 2026
Pages 155-186