Rejecting the West? Homonegative attitudes and political orientations in contemporary Eastern Europe

Abstract :

Homonegative attitudes are strikingly high in Eastern Europe, and a schism among an enlarged Europe. To understand this, we examine the comparative and over-time role of individual political orientations. Using the World Values Survey, we investigate how these relate to homonegativity over time (1995–2014) in eight Eastern European nations, compared to a sample of seven Western nations. Individuals in all nations who hold nationalist and authoritarian values and are unengaged in politics have stronger homonegative attitudes. National pride and support for democracy are particularly important for Eastern Europeans. Cleavages in democratic values and narratives may be increasingly important over time.