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AbstractIt is generally assumed that national commemorations have the power to increase national attachment. This is because such ceremonies highlight shared history, communicate core values, and have the potential to decrease conflicts in societies, while celebrating and mourning together enhances attachment to the group. Remarkably, only a limited number of studies have empirically studied the relation between participation in national commemorations and feelings of national attachment. Studies that have addressed this question focused mainly on the intentions of the organizing elite, employed qualitative research designs, or suffered from methodological problems such as causality. In this study, we examined participation in Dutch liberation festivals by means of survey data. We compared people's feelings of national attachment before they visited the liberation festival with people's feelings of national attachment after they visited the festival, but no evidence was found for the integrative role of national ceremonies. In the concluding section, we discuss potential reasons why the expected positive relation was not found and formulate suggestions for future research.

The aim of this article is twofold. First, we examine whether there are differences between ex-cohabiting and former married men and women in their income change after relationship dissolution. Second, we focus on differences between divorced and ex-cohabiting men and women in coping with the changed income situation after relationship dissolution. We look at two coping strategies: increasing one's labor-market participation and finding a new partner. We look at differences in the effectiveness of applying those strategies between separated and divorced women and men. After controlling for compositional differences, there are no differences in the effectiveness of increasing the number of hours worked between divorced women and ex-cohabiting women. Divorced women gain more financially by finding a new partner than ex-cohabiting women. There are no differences between ex-cohabiting men and divorced men in effectiveness of both coping strategies.

A sometimes heated debate between authoritarianism researchers takes place on the issue of authoritarianism on the left. Some researchers argue that authoritarianism is typical for right-wing political orientation while other researchers assert that authoritarianism can also be found at the left side of the political spectrum. The aim of this paper is twofold. First, we aim to contribute to the ongoing discussion on left-wing authoritarianism. Using representative samples, the relationship between authoritarianism and political preferences is examined in 13 ex-communist Eastern European countries. Employing six different indicators of left-wing/communist political orientations make clear that, despite cross-national differences, left-wing authoritarianism is definitely not a myth in Eastern European countries. Second, it was aimed to survey whether authoritarian persons in Eastern European countries might be a possible threat for the transition to democracy. Based upon five items it was demonstrated that in general the Eastern European population seems to hold a positive opinion on democracy. However, it becomes also clear that authoritarian persons in the ex-communist countries are significantly less positive towards democracy.

A sometimes heated debate between authoritarianism researchers takes place on the issue of authoritarianism on the left. Some researchers argue that authoritarianism is typical for right-wing political orientation while other researchers assert that authoritarianism can also be found at the left side of the political spectrum. The aim of this paper is twofold. First, we aim to contribute to the ongoing discussion on left-wing authoritarianism. Using representative samples, the relationship between authoritarianism and political preferences is examined in 13 ex-communist Eastern European countries. Employing six different indicators of left-wing/communist political orientations make clear that, despite cross-national differences, left-wing authoritarianism is definitely not a myth in Eastern European countries. Second, it was aimed to survey whether authoritarian persons in Eastern European countries might be a possible threat for the transition to democracy. Based upon five items it was demonstrated that in general the Eastern European population seems to hold a positive opinion on democracy. However, it becomes also clear that authoritarian persons in the ex-communist countries are significantly less positive towards democracy. [Copyright The Regents of the University of California; published by Elsevier Ltd.]

Women often experience a sharp decrease in economic well-being after relationship dissolution. Two ways to cope with these negative economic consequences of union dissolution are increasing the labour market participation and finding a new partner. In this contribution we examined whether divorced women apply these strategies differently compared to separated women. Separated women find a new partner more often than divorced women do. There are no differences between these two groups of women regarding the increase of their labour market participation. Furthermore we investigated whether there is a difference in the effectiveness of applying those strategies between separated and divorced women. After controlling for compositional differences there are no differences in the effectiveness of increasing the labour market participation. Divorced women do gain more financially by finding a new partner than separated women.

Commemorations of shared national history are important to the process of nation-building. Support for such national commemorations is not, however, evenly distributed in societies. Because this could endanger the possible integrative function of commemorative ceremonies, it is important to understand the sources of structural differences in support. In this article, age differences in support for national commemorations in the Netherlands are examined. It is argued that because age cohorts grow up with different ideas on what should be commemorated they also differ in value attached to such commemorations. Data from the National Freedom Enquiry 2012 show that older persons more often associate national commemorations with the Second World War than younger persons do, and that this is the reason why they are more supportive of the annual celebration of Liberation Day. In the concluding section, it is argued that more (quantitative) studies should be conducted in order to truly understand the mechanisms behind support of national commemorations as this may help us to better comprehend the processes construing feelings of national belonging.

Commemorations of shared national history are important to the process of nation‐building. Support for such national commemorations is not, however, evenly distributed in societies. Because this could endanger the possible integrative function of commemorative ceremonies, it is important to understand the sources of structural differences in support. In this article, age differences in support for national commemorations in the Netherlands are examined. It is argued that because age cohorts grow up with different ideas on what should be commemorated they also differ in value attached to such commemorations. Data from the National Freedom Enquiry 2012 show that older persons more often associate national commemorations with the Second World War than younger persons do, and that this is the reason why they are more supportive of the annual celebration of Liberation Day. In the concluding section, it is argued that more (quantitative) studies should be conducted in order to truly understand the mechanisms behind support of national commemorations as this may help us to better comprehend the processes construing feelings of national belonging.