Relations Between National and Ethnic Identities Among the Youth in Tabriz

The main thrust of this article is to study the experience of  relationship between national and ethnic identities among the youth in Tubriz. Up to what degree are the youth of Tabriz committed to the national identity? Up to what extent are they committed to the ethnic identity and what kind of relationship is perceivable between the two identities? In order to assess national identity in this article, such factors as inclination towards the Persian language and literature, national cultural heritage, political tendencies and religious inclinations have been suited. In order to evaluate ethnic identity, such factors as inclination towards the Turkish language and literature, Turkish music, inclination towards ethnic history and ethnic attachments have been studied. The findings of this research paper indicates that the youth of  Tabriz have stronger inclination towards the national identity, while they enjoy a strong tendency towards ethnic identity as well. They also establish a positive relation between these two collective indentities.