European Identity Research Articles

Nietzsche und der lange Flug des „guten Europäers“

Abstract Nietzsche and the Long Flight of the “Good European”. The question of “the good European,” as Nietzsche conceives it, refers to a complex process of cultural transformation that starts from the critical relationship toward the European Christian heritage. The three volumes discussed in this review single out three different aspects of this cultural process: a “new Enlightenment,” which refers to the gradual liberation from the European tradition “in search of good Europeans” (Crescenzi / Gentili / Venturelli 2017), the early twentieth-century debate around “European identity” (Crescenzi / Gentili / Venturelli 2018), in which the good European takes on a precise role, and contemporary Europe and the current relevance of the good European (Brusotti / McNeal / Schubert / Siemens 2020). This review discusses and reflects critically on these three volumes, examining how they contribute to contemporary debates about Nietzsche and the question of a European culture.

Politics, psychoanalysis, and large group identity

Since Freud's contributions, psychoanalysis has devoted attention to group phenomena in the field of politics. Volkan and Kernberg stand out today for providing conceptual tools for analyzing political reality. Politicians' work has historically included a share of group manipulation, but today a strong trend towards populism is emerging from the right and the left. This offers a unique opportunity to examine in detail how leaders often promote primitive group dynamics, close to borderline personality organizations. The war in Ukraine offers an opportunity for a psychoanalytic exploration of unconscious conflicts. Some leaders' biographies and actions may offer clues, as well as group phenomena that express the need to protect a valuable identity. The current situation has generated an identity crisis in Europe and beyond. Autocratic tendencies have become stronger and we have lost leaders who sustained a more adult, less primitive European identity. The possible solutions lie in the abandonment of infantile maximalist positions and the adoption of a painful, frustrating, slow – and healthy – integrative attitude, perceiving nuances and shades of gray, both in our own group and in that which we consider Other. Psychoanalysis has the responsibility to put its knowledge at the service of society, also in politics.

Identity Awoken in Second-Generation British Poles in the UK—Personal Journeys

We examine the identity of British Poles born in the UK, whose parents arrived as allied servicemen and their families, seeking asylum following WW2. The two authors are from this community, and here examine their British-Polish identity along with other second-generation Poles in the UK. These individuals grew up in distinct communities exposed to the Polish language and culture but with restricted contact with communist Poland. The themes of response to parents’ trauma experience, Polish identity in childhood and in midlife, Polish language, and visiting family in Poland were explored. Many described parents as secretive about the horrors of war but keen to retain and propagate their Polish identity. Some felt they were not fully Polish, but their identity increased with access to modern Poland as adults. The Polish language was important to identity but linked to feeling inadequacy when not fluent. Visiting family in Poland enhanced identity, was valued, and provided information on family history. European identity was adopted by some to cover both their British and Polish identity. Genealogy and family history are popular and linked to community, and British Poles have a distinct contribution and a voice in showing how identity can emerge out of family trauma.

Negotiating Minority Identities in Europe Through Cultural Preservation: Music as Heritage among the Dutch Hindustani Diaspora in the Netherlands

ABSTRACT Twice-migrant and descended from the colonial labour diaspora, the Dutch Hindustanis in the Netherlands are one of the most assimilated, socially integrated and upwardly mobile minority diaspora groups in the Netherlands. The group also remains the repository of the early vestiges of Hindi film music as well as traditional music from the Northern Indian plains, thereby making it a fascinating case study for cultural preservation. This paper undertakes to take a close look at the modes and methods employed by the Dutch Hindustanis to preserve their musical heritage and argues that it has emerged as one of the primary nodes of diasporic identity formation for the group.

Conservatives’ middle school: Right-wing opposition to the 1962 reform

In 1962, right-wing political parties in Italy opposed the law establishing the State middle school. The reasons for this dissent were advanced during the parliamentary debate: by the liberals, the neo-fascists and the royalists. There were varied opinions, but they converged on some fundamental traits, also common to some exponents of the major government party, namely the Christian Democrats. Through the analysis of these arguments, an alternative school model to the one proposed in the reform emerges: unitary but not unique, with a strong humanistic imprint, in which spiritual values were the main foundations of a European identity, an alternative to Soviet and American materialism. They wanted a selective school, which would reflect the natural inequality between pupils, in terms of ability and will. It is a profile that can be defined as conservative, shared in the main aspects by many teachers wary of the reform.

Who are the Cosmopolitans? How Perceived Social Sorting and Social Identities Relate to European and National Identities

Transnational European identities influence public debates and electoral dynamics across Europe, with sociodemographic factors strongly associated with these identities. Meanwhile, little attention has been paid to how people’s perceptions of a political group’s sociodemographic profile relate to their identification with Europe. I argue that such perceptions, in combination with social identities, are significantly associated with the strength of individuals’ identification with political groups. An individual is more likely to have a robust European identity if they perceive that social groups they like share the same pro-European opinion. In contrast, if they perceive that groups they like align with the anti-European camp, they are likely to have a weaker European identity. By employing novel survey data from Italy and Austria, I find empirical support for my argument. This paper contributes to the debate on the mechanisms that connect social and political identities and explains how cleavages emerge in the mass public.

Interaction of paradigms of international human rights law and international humanitarian law through the prism of obligations of the occupying power

Falalіeіeva Liudmyla. Interaction of paradigms of international human rights law and international humanitarian law through the prism of obligations of the occupying power The article highlights theoretical and practical significance of complying or ensuring compliance with the norms of international human rights law in occupied territories and the obligations of the occupying power in accordance with international humanitarian law. Being distinct and having different implementation mechanisms, these bodies of law are applied in parallel, complementing each other to ensure proper protection of guaranteed rights. This study reveals the essence of and peculiarities of the interaction between the paradigms of these two fields of international law, as one of the most important factors contributing to the fulfillment by the states of their obligations to observe/protect human rights, especially fundamental rights in times of armed conflicts, for instance, during Russian unprovoked aggression against Ukrainein its existential and civilizational dimensions, and during the occupation. The applicability of international human rights law in the context of armed conflicts and occupation is highlighted. The article includes analysis of the legal regime of occupation, especially the obligations of the occupying power. It assesses the existing problems with the fulfillment of such obligations by the Russian Federation as the occupying power,which destroys the national identity of Ukrainians and weakens their European identity in the parts of the territories of Ukraine that are being temporarily occupied. The article includes proposals how to overcome these and other related problems. The author concludes by noting that compliance with the obligations under international human rights law in the occupied territories, as well as with the obligations of the occupying power under the law of occupation, internationonal humanitarian law, with respect to various categories of human rights, constitute acomplex and multifaced issue. The Ukrainian doctrine of international law already examines this issue in an interdisciplinary dimension, specifically by analyzing the limits of the rights and obligations of the occupying power in the context of fulfillingits obligations as concerns human dignity and human rights. The scientific researches into the issues related to the scope, nature and limitations of such obligations, legal instruments for their implementation and response in case of their violation can become the theoretical and methodological basis for the development of conceptual approaches to the establishment of relevant practices aimed to ensure that human rights are applied and respected during armed conflicts and occupation. Similarly they can serve as a basis for improvement of the existing mechanisms of bringing states to international legal responsibility for committing internationally wrongful acts and violations of international obligations to observe/protect human rights, given that the latter form the hard core of the civilizational values. Civilizational values embody the universal nature of human rights. They most fully reflect the achievements of mankindin this area and are of the pivotal methodological and practical significance for construction and establishment of an optimal post-war model of international legal order. Key words: international human rights law, international humanitarian law,principle of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, principle of non-useof force or the threat of force, armed conflict, regime of occupation, civilians, humanrights, fundamental rights, international treaties, international obligations, international standards, European integration, European identity.

Strategic partnership Ukraine – Poland: challenges and achievements of wartime

One of the most important directions of modern development of Ukraine is bilateral relations with leading European countries. This policy paves the way for the recognition of its European identity and creates broad opportunities for international cooperation on a mutually beneficial basis. The Republic of Poland was and remainsone of the partners and reliable allies of Ukraine in wartime conditions. Accordingly, the proposed article examines the specifics of the development of the strategic partnership between Ukraine and the Republic of Poland in the conditions of a large scale war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine. The fundamental principles and principles on which the strategic partnership of Ukraine and Poland is based have been clarified. The specificity of state and non-state aid of the government and people of Poland to forced migrants from Ukraine has been revealed. The joint information policy of opposing Russian propaganda and disinformation is substantiated. The specifics of forming a mutually beneficial security strategy are summarized. The factors of acceleration and optimization of the process of European integration of Ukraine with the assistance of the Polish leadership have been identified. It was found that in the conditions of the war, the Ukrainian-Polish strategic partnership turned into a real form of full-fledged cooperation between the two states. Poland proved to be a reliableally and arbiter in the provision of military aid. Therefore, the prospects for military cooperation are related to the gradual strengthening of these relations, which can become the basis of a military-political union and unification of countries that consider confronting the Russian threat as a priority strategic task. The interaction between Ukraine and Poland in the political, economic and social spheres has also intensified to a great extent, which is a guarantee of the common future of both countries. In order to further understand the development offriendly relations between Ukraine and the Republic of Poland, it is important tounderst and the process of institutionalization of common security policy and to counter hybrid threats, to determine priorities in all areas not only for the medium term, but also for the long term, which requires the consolidated efforts of states men, scientists and the public of both friendly countries. Key words: Russian-Ukrainian war, strategic partnership, mutually benefi cialcooperation, forced migration, countering disinformation, security strategy, European integration of Ukraine.

슬로베니아 마리보르(Maribor) 동부연합의 유럽문화 수도 프로젝트

The EU's cultural policy is focused on fostering genuine European integration through a range of diverse cultural programs. Among them, the 'European Capital of Culture(ECoC)' holds a prominent position as a highly esteemed and influential cultural initiative within the EU. While ‘diversity’ and ‘unity’ are emphasized in the European identity, European culture ultimately seeks cohesion and uniformity. In 2012, Slovenia's ambitious '2012 ECoC Maribor' project aimed to showcase European identity through cultural means. Maribor, at the center of the 'Eastern Cohesion,' united diverse cultural assets and created a unique cultural explosion. This strategic approach, promoting unity within diversity, presented a significant challenge and a new model for the European Capital of Culture program. The project instilled European cultural pride and citizenship consciousness in Slovenia, despite modest economic outcomes. The ‘2012 ECoC Maribor’ left a hopeful and optimistic social, political, and cultural impact.

What is in the news today? How media-related affect shapes adolescents' stance towards the EU.

Adolescence is regarded as a formative period for political development. One important developmental context is media. Negatively perceived political media content can foster populistic attitudes, which in turn decreases support of political institutions, such as the European Union (EU). As media valence effects are short-lived, this study examined intra-individual associations of media valence with European identity commitment and affect towards the EU, as well as indirect effects via populistic attitudes across 10 days. We implemented a 10-day daily diary study with 371 adolescents from Germany (January to February 2022). Adolescents were on average 14.24 years old (SD = 0.55) and 60.4% were female. We estimated the hypothesized associations using multilevel structural equation models and dynamic structural equation models. We found significant associations between populistic attitudes and negative affect towards the EU on the same day and the next day. The lagged effect became nonsignificant, when including both same day and lagged effects into one model. Populistic attitudes were not significantly associated with European identity commitment within days or across days. Negative media content was associated with higher populistic attitudes on the same day and indirectly associated with negative affect towards the EU (b = -.01, 95% credible interval [-0.010, -0.004]). Negatively perceived political media content was associated with higher populistic attitudes and more negative affect towards the EU concurrently. Our results imply that media plays an important role for adolescents' development.

Basic Human Values and Preferences for an EU‐Wide Social Benefit Scheme

AbstractPrevious explanations regarding transnational solidarity in the European Union (EU) have mainly focussed on factors including left–right self‐placement, support for European integration and European identity. We expand this model by considering deeper psychological determinants of transnational solidarity: values, operationalised as Schwartz's basic human values of universalism and security. We expect them to exert (1) direct effects on transnational solidarity – measured as support for pan‐European social benefits – and (2) indirect effects via the three aforementioned factors. We test and find evidence to support our theoretical framework using multigroup structural equation modelling and data from the European Social Survey. We further show that the effect size of the value of universalism on preferences for an EU social benefit scheme in each country is positively moderated by that country's net contribution to the EU budget, highlighting the interaction between material interests and psychological value motivations.

The Influence of European Identity on Integration Efforts

The EU's recurrent crises underline its complex and debated nature. Truly grasping its intricacies is key to understanding the tie between European identity and integration. Central to the discourse are questions on whether a shared European identity influences member selection or if the emphasis is on upholding democratic values. Academic discussions have often overlooked a holistic examination of integration processes, treating EU expansions as standalone events without delving deep into the relationship between integration and European identity. This paper posits that the absence of a unified European identity, and subsequently, citizens' disassociation from Europe and its political structures, steers the course of integration, potentially causing stagnation or progression. It seeks to unravel: the nature of EU expansion, the current meaning of European identity versus EU identity, and the influence of identity (or its absence) on integration. Concludingly, it suggests that the EU identity's role in integration is a balance between constructivism and rationalism. Support for the EU seems rooted in citizens' perceived overarching benefits, encompassing peace, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
 
 Received: 05 May 2023 / Accepted: 21 June 2023 / Published: 23 July 2023

Kriza vladavine prava u svetlu „nužnosti” zaštite nacionalnog (ustavnog) identiteta

The creation of a European identity through respect for the values of the national system is simultaneously accompanied by a weakening of the (European) rule of law. It was believed that countries close to the European Union share the same values as it, that is, that their common values represent a guarantee of stability. However, it turned out to be the opposite. The desire of the European Union to contribute to the progress of the region through the policy of conditionality encountered the obstacle of protecting the principle of national (constitutional) identity on the part of the member states (Hungary and Poland), which gave the outlines of the beginning of the rule of law crisis with such an approach. While the first part of the work will be devoted to the theoretical and practical importance of national (constitutional) identity and the rule of law through the construction of European Union politics, both internal and external, the second part will be based on Hungary and Poland and their criminal slippages from the core of all the values of the European Union – the rule of law.

Interview with Daniel Bensaïd: On Politics and History

This timely translation of an interview with Daniel Bensaïd was originally published as “La politique et l’histoire” in the journal Libre Choix in 1998 (no longer in circulation). In the interview Daniel Bensaïd responds to questions and comments posed by Michel Surya on a number of pressing problematics and paradoxes that revolve around his then recently published book Le pari mélancolique, which provokes readers to interrogate the epistemic separations among the social fields of history, politics, and literature. The interview addresses such themes as historicization including the plurality of times and comparisons in history; European identity and nonnational citizenship in the context of neoliberal “economic automatism and ethical consolation,” Eurocentrism, and an always already globalizing world; and the melancholic wager and role of aesthetics in revolutionary politics.

Ukrainian Identity in Heterogeneous European Collective Action

Purpose. This article aims at outlining the consider Ukrainian identity in the context of European collective action through the prism of value orientations/approaches. Theoretical basis. The following methods were used in order to cover the problem as objectively as possible: historical, analytical, comparative, socio-geographical, behavioral, and dialectical. The use of these methods contributed to tracing the peculiarities of identity and collective action in the dynamics of the historical process and social development. Originality. The role of identity in collective action formation is considered. It was established that identity determines the socio-species structure and projects social development. After all, identification for a person in the formation process is a basic need that determines a person’s belonging, not identity. During the formation of "I" there is a combination of "I1" + "I2" + "Other" = "WE". This process is complex and long-term, but it is precisely the process that gives you the opportunity to clearly understand your "I" and know yourself. It was found that identity as a social phenomenon, which is related to the formation of the "I", is determined by certain circumstances, which can be conditionally divided into objective and subjective. After analyzing the scientific literature, a generalization was made that identity is not a new phenomenon, but it has certain features at each stage of social development. This became most noticeable in the conditions of globalization, when countries that are actually different perceive the "Other", unite around certain problems, and then this union forms a system of mutual relations. It is thanks to this approach that alliances, multicultural associations, etc. are formed, and an example of this is the heterogeneous European identity. Special attention is drawn to the role of values, which are the landmarks in the process of identity and the formation of collective action. Based on political, social, economic, historical processes and ontological features, it was established that identity is a dynamic process, since values during a person’s life, the existence of the state, etc. are variables. This is confirmed by the value orientation and various socio-political processes aimed at the formation of Homo in countries that have the status of "between". Conclusions. The article illustrates and justifies the existence of several forms of identity according to which the types of identity are formed. The fact proves that identity is not a constant process and varies due to multiple factors: social, political, economic, and religious as well as due to formations – regional, local, civilizational, etc. As practice shows, the problem of identity mostly has situational nature and arises due to the need for unification. The socio-historical process manifests the significance of the values in the formation of a collective European heterogeneous identity. These processes are influenced by many factors: geographical, historical, mythological, etc.

Failure to build Yugoslav and European identity: comparison between the 1950s Yugo Prophecy and 1980s Euro Prophecy

ABSTRACT The article discusses the main obstacles encountered in the course of the earliest stages of supranational identity – building that took place in Socialist Yugoslavia in the 1950s, and in the European Community in the 1980s. Due to World War II legacy, both supranational identities were predominantly built on a promise of peace and prosperity that exclusively related the emotional attachment of citizens to the economic and political success of the supranational polities. Since both polities originally brought fulfillment of (single) national goals to their constituencies, any cultural component of supranational identities could be successfully challenged by the narratives on hegemony of supranational center over national constituencies.

What about Europe? European identity and spatial imaginaries of Europe among Polish migrants during post-Brexit negotiations in Scotland

This article takes the concept of spatial imaginaries to explore how the post-Brexit negotiations shifted meanings of ‘Europe’ for Polish migrants residing in Scotland. A flourishing subfield of ‘Brexit geographies’ has explored the meaning and consequences of Brexit (as an event, process and affect) for wide-ranging communities on the move and in place. Yet, the question of how ‘Europe’, and in particular ‘EUrope’, is being re-imagined and re-constituted by EU migrants residing in uncertain political spaces remains understudied. In this article, we address this lacuna through analysis of biographical narrative interviews and spatial mapping exercises. In doing so, we conduct a multi-scalar analysis of Polish migrants’ discursive and visual representations of EUrope, defined both as a geographical and institutional space. The study is spatially and temporally situated at a particular time and place in the Brexit timeline – the summer of 2019 in rural and urban Scotland. At this time, Brexit negotiations were ongoing, there was widespread uncertainty about the consequences for migrants in the United Kingdom, and, in Scotland particularly, much resistance to leaving the European Union. The article argues that while Brexit might have not affected European identity among Polish migrants in Scotland, it has prompted them to reconsider their place in Europe and to reimagine both the geographical and conceptual parameters of EUrope.

European Identity in Defense Policy

The aim of the article is to analyze the attitude of Europeans to defense as well as to progress in the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). Is an EU-specific security and common defense identity being created? According to Karl Deutsch's concept, this identity was to lead to the creation of a security community similar to those that function in nation states. It was also intended to pave the way for further progress in European integration. Difficulties in constructing identity in defense policy may hinder further European integration, including federalization and democratization of the European Union. These problems with European identity may also serve to strengthen transatlantic relations and cooperation within NATO.

European Identities and Cultural Imaginaries

"Although a geographically small continent, Europe has fostered, over the past millennia, the emergence of an impressive number of languages, cultures and civilizations. This constitutes its richness and also its challenge: how should all these local, regional and national cultural identities be harmonized and integrated, without destroying, but rather conserving and enhancing them? A seminal concept in the investigation of the cultural, literary and artistic representations is “the imaginary” (the equivalent of the French term l’imaginaire), as opposed to the traditional concepts of “imagination” and “fantasy”. Cultural imaginaries express the relations between individuals and groups, their representations of the self and the others, of the geographical and historical milieus, of the planet and the universe. The images of Europe, positive or negative, global or fragmented, define the conscious and unconscious attitudes and comportments, hopes and fears concerning the individual and common destiny of European peoples."

A comparative study on the perceptions of Dutch and British Muslim leadership regarding social-political challenges

PurposeThis paper aims to analyze and compare attitudes and perceptions of Muslim leadership toward society and politics based on their personal experiences in England and the Netherlands.Design/methodology/approachThis study provides valuable insights into how Muslim leadership experiences socio-political realities from own perspectives. The comparative analysis of Muslim leadership in England and the Netherlands highlights the unique qualities of each community, while also demonstrating shared communal awareness regarding political participation and concerns regarding the rise of Islamophobia and populism.FindingsThe study reveals significant differences between Dutch and British Muslim leadership regarding attitudes toward politics. While the Dutch political system enables minorities to have political parties, British leaders prefer peaceful resistance, internal cooperation and voting power for influence. Muslim communities in both countries face similar challenges, such as access to politics, rising Islamophobia and populism. However, there are variations in leadership maturity and attitudes toward communal unification and political participation.Research limitations/implicationsEspecially Dutch Muslims were much more open toward cooperation once approached. The biggest challenge was to get into the Muslim communities in England. Even though British Muslims showed a much greater aptitude toward their civic duties, British Muslims were much more careful and wished that interviews were written down instead of being recorded. But once the author was part of the community, community leaders were more accepting and tolerant towards the author's presence. From that point on, to be recommended (snowballing) became easier.Practical implicationsThis research shows clearly how different ethnic Muslim communities differ across two different countries. Even though both countries have their own advantages and disadvantages, understanding how civic responsibilities and the progressive development of minority attitudes can be best approached is important to policymakers.Social implicationsOne major social implication is the way minorities perceive social and political equality and how these minority expectations can be met. Research shows that there is much fear and anxiety to growing sentiments of populism and right-wing appraisals. For a better integration and inclusion, a sound assessment of social and religious expectations is crucial.Originality/valueAs far as the author knows, there are no qualitative research studies that compare Muslim minority conditions in the Netherlands and England. This research makes this even more interesting for how to create policy that contributes to a European understanding of Muslim existence in Europe and a common European identity. This is crucial for a more stable and stronger European future.