Emotional belonging and cultural identity: a systematic review of collective emotions among indigenous and minority groups

Introduction Collective emotions are central to understanding how belonging, identity, and social cohesion are constructed within indigenous, migrant, and minority communities. Beyond individual feelings, they function as cultural and moral frameworks that sustain recognition and collective action. This systematic review addresses the following research question: How do collective emotions contribute to processes of cohesion, resistance, and cultural reconstruction among Indigenous and minority groups across institutional contexts? Methods Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, this systematic review analyzed empirical and theoretical studies published between 2015 and 2025 in Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect. Results Seventy-four studies were included, examining emotions linked to identity, resistance, and social reconstruction across intercultural contexts. The synthesis identified eight dominant emotional mechanisms: nostalgia, pride, shame, guilt, hope, compassion, resilience, and resentment, emerging across educational, migratory, and political settings. These emotions shape cohesion, moral repair, and symbolic resistance, revealing how collective emotions sustain community life and redefine social justice. Discussion Findings indicate that collective emotions function as social practices organizing belonging, agency, and recognition. They mediate between memory and power, showing that emotional climates underpin cultural resilience and political transformation.