This paper examined the interface between “racial” and
national identity from the perspective of two competing theoretical
frameworks: the ideological asymmetry hypothesis and the thesis of
Iberian Exceptionalism. In contrast to previous results found in the
United States and Israel, use of survey data from Puerto Rico, the
Dominican Republic, and Cuba showed some support for both theoretical
positions. Consistent with the asymmetry thesis, there was strong and
consistent evidence of racial hierarchy within all three Caribbean
nations. However, contradicting the asymmetry hypothesis and more in
line with the Iberian Exceptionalism perspective, there was a general
tendency for all “races” to be equally attached to the
nation in both the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Somewhat
unexpectedly, Cuban Blacks tended to be slightly more positively
attached to the nation than Cuban Whites. These results suggest that
the precise interface between racial and national identity will be
acutely influenced by the specific socio-political context within each
nation.