Myth of the near future? Assessing the European Green Deal’s potential to become a political myth for the European Union
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12736645 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Jeremy Moulton (0000-0002-7402-4772, University of York, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 758-771 |
| Publication date | 2023-11-28 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Contemporary European Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1478-2790 • E-ISSN: 1478-2804 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/14782804.2023.2288908 |
| OpenAlex | W4389087107 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
| References cited | 31 |
Questions have long revolved around the European Union's (EU) capacity to develop 'post-national' political myths – sacred narratives that provide a basis for long-term political legitimacy. The need for new EU political myths has become particularly severe with the declining power of the Union's foundational myths of peace and prosperity, and as the EU has entered an era of almost permanent crisis. This article critically assesses whether one contemporary EU policy innovation – the European Green Deal (EGD) – has the potential to transform from a set of policies and an accompanying narrative into a sacred narrative for the Union. The analysis is conducted by applying a novel framework that assesses a myth's features, including significance, development, and impact, to draw conclusions about the EGD's mythic capacity. Drawing on key speeches, texts, and Eurobarometer findings, the conclusion is drawn that the EGD does have mythic capacity in terms of its significance and development. However, its impact has been limited by critical voices on both sides of the climate action debate. This conclusion has important implications for the possibilities of post-national mythmaking
Art · Development economics · Economics · Eurobarometer · European integration · European union · International trade · Legitimacy · Literature · Mythology · Narrative · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Prosperity · Sociology · European Union Policy and Governance · Global Energy Security and Policy · History · Law · Sustainability and Climate Change Governance
A Philosophy of Political Myth
What can we learn from the collapse of the European constitutional project?
National myths
Imagining Europe
A Green New Deal without growth
The European Green Deal and the limits of ecological modernisation
The ‘European Green Deal’ – a paradigm shift? Transformations in the European Union’s sustainability meta-discourse
A Postfunctionalist Theory of European Integration
Europe's odyssey
National Myths
Implementing the European Green Deal during the Evolving Energy Crisis
European Fantasies
Another Theory is Possible
The End of a Noble Narrative? European Integration Narratives after the Nobel Peace Prize
The Myth of a Green Europe
Political Myth, Mythology and the European Union
National identity and the idea of European unity
Multilevel blame games
Nationalism and Bounded Integration
The European Council, the Council and the Member States
Legitimizing the “War on Terror”
When “Following” the Leader Inspires Action
An ambitious and climate-focused Commission agenda for post Covid-19 EU
The Care and Repair of Public Myth
Rethinking Political Myth
| Unique citing works | 4 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 4 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 4 |