Context Matters: Understanding Measurement Noninvariance in Global Solidarity

Abstract

Solidarity within and between societies is a widely discussed topic these days. A multitude of global challenges makes the issue of social togetherness more relevant than ever before. But can we truly measure global solidarity in a comparative way? Or is our understanding shaped by the cultural, demographic, economic, and political contexts in which individuals find themselves? This study addresses these questions using data from the European Values Study 2017, which covers 21 European Union member states. By applying multigroup and multilevel structural equation modelling, we show that achieving cross-national measurement invariance of global solidarity is indeed difficult and that accounting for contextual and cultural differences can help explain why certain measurements lack equivalence. The analysis reveals that the measurements are subject to varying culturally driven interpretations about how people interpret survey items on global solidarity, particularly regarding concern for Europeans and immigrants. Varying cultural views on what is meant by ‘Europeans’, or how immigrants should be treated, and factors such as immigrant influx, cultural orientation, prioritising equal treatment, or cultural predominance affect how individuals express concern for immigrants. These differences in cultural and national contexts contribute to measurement noninvariance.