Attitudes to national identity among tertiary students in Melanesia and Timor-Leste: a comparative analysis

This paper present the findings of an 18-month research project on the attitudes of tertiary students across four sites (Dili, Port Vila, Honiara and Port Moresby) to national identity and key issues of nation-building. The study examined the attitudes of the young educated elite likely to dominate the next generation of leaders and decision makers. Their views are pivotal to understanding the challenges to building a more cohesive sense of national identity and political community in Melanesia and Timor-Leste. Findings highlight the ongoing importance of family, religion and maintaining traditional customs in student conceptions of political community. This article presents a comparative analysis of those findings across the four target sites