Utari had it right, Conflict drives RP for sure. This is both a good and a bad thing. My Corporation, doesn't have too much interest in the Amarr, but due to the way Faction Warfare works, we spend most of our time shooting the Amarr. I think that is fine, but, whenever I at least get into an RP venue, there is an effort to try and make this more about the Republic itself, and not our conflict with the Amarr.
I think Kinnison's backpedal, and then interest in looking at the Republic in a different light on IGS was wonderful, by the way, even if it can be difficult to find alot of the information there. I referenced in Eve Source that it mentioned that the Republic had a pretty low unemployment rate versus the poverty stricken image that is frequently portrayed.
To that end, KHUSH actually does alot of industrial things which we haven't talked much about IC (maybe we should?), and of course have worked with Caldari groups, and other Minmatar groups, in the spirit of mutual defense, cooperation, and isk. The idea is to improve the Republic, but we generally approach the Republic as not such a bad place in general. Be it the Economy, or safety from the Amarr, or Sansha, etc it makes sense, but not as white knights, but as people protecting their own (or in Val's case more her adoptive Clan), as I feel that more than anything the Matari seem to look after those close to them.