Religiosity, Authoritarianism, and Nationalist Views in Poland
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1
Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw
2
Educational Research Institute
Submission date: 2025-10-09
Acceptance date: 2026-02-04
Publication date: 2026-03-16
Polish Sociological Review 2026;233(1):27-44
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
This study investigates the relationship between religiosity, authoritarianism, and nationalism in Poland
in 2023, drawing on theories of religious nationalism and authoritarian personality. Building on the insights from
the literature on religious nationalism, moral traditionalism and right-wing authoritarianism, we hypothesize that
religiosity positively influences nationalist views, operating indirectly through authoritarian predispositions that
channel religious commitments into nationalist attitudes. Nationalism was operationalized as a multidimensional
construct encompassing attitudes toward national pride, perceived threats to identity, and resistance to the
European Union’s cultural influence. Using data from the 2018, and 2023 waves of POLPAN, 1 a long-running
Polish panel survey, we examined both cross-sectional and longitudinal dynamics. Results demonstrate that
religiosity exerts a strong direct effect on nationalism, while authoritarianism functions as a mediating orientation
that independently reinforces nationalist attitudes. Lagged regression models confirm the temporal stability of
nationalism, yet also reveal that religiosity and authoritarianism contribute to its intensification over time. These
findings contribute to debates on the intersection of religiosity, authoritarianism, and nationalism, highlighting the
enduring relevance of theories of religious nationalism and authoritarian predispositions in contemporary Poland.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to Professor Kazimierz M. Słomczyński for his insightful comments, constructive suggestions, and valuable guidance.