The dual nature of European identity

Subjective Awareness and Coherence

Datos Bibliográficos

ID7880441
AutoresJames A Caporaso, Min-Hyung Kim (0000-0001-9169-9790), Min Hyung Kim (0000-0002-0072-2631)
Año2009
Volumen16
Número1
Páginas19-42
Fecha de publicación2009-01-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaJournal of European Public Policy (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1350-1763 • E-ISSN: 1466-4429
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/13501760802453155
OpenAlexW1973906392
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas15
Referencias citadas27

We conceptualize European identity as a dual concept (subjective awareness and coherence) that contains both perceptual and behavioral components. We provide a set of indicators for European identity and analyze the data to assess changes in European identity over the last 50 years. Our goal is to offer a conceptual framework and method of assessing identity in an empirically sensitive way. Our findings show that EU citizens have multiple identities of which EU identity is part and that there is strong evidence for the development of a coherent EU. We suggest that future research pay attention to a broader range of indicators than examined here. Keywords: CoherenceEuropean identityEuropean integrationEuropean Unionsubjective awareness Notes Note that if a pluralistic community comes into being, with the separate parts maintaining autonomy and distinctiveness, the issue of identity does not arise. The Transatlantic Trends in 2005 reports that a majority of Europeans (60 percent of EU-9), including 62 percent of French and 64 percent of German citizens, support a single EU seat on the United Nations Security Council even if it would replace the seats currently held by France and the UK. Only the majority of British respondents (55 percent) opposed. The question on the EU was added in 2003 for the first time and asked since then. A different approach to the problem of measuring identity is taken by Michael Bruter in his book Citizens of Europe? (2005). Bruter attempts to construct a measure of identity by a sophisticated process of 'cleaning' (removing) the effects of several variables on an index of support for the EU, in effect leaving (as residual) the effect due to identity. For a thorough description of this approach, see appendix 3 of his book, pages 195–210. We do not present our data on the 'degree of attachment of people to their city, their region, their country, and Europe' here for space reasons, but are happy to provide them if requested by interested readers. The 'working ontology' of most social science research starts with entities (states, organizations, institutions), and then goes on to explore variables and their relations attached to these entities. The entities themselves do not enter the theoretical discussion. There are important exceptions, such as the work of Charles Ragin's case-oriented analysis, but they are a distinct minority. Campbell also proposed proximity as an indicator. We think proximity is at best a proxy for diffusion processes which should result in greater similarity and convergence of countries in the region over time. Denmark's declining reliance on its EU partners remains a puzzle to us. If readers are interested in these data, they are welcome to write to the authors who will be happy to provide a more complete version of the paper

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