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Who are the E uropeans? E uropean Identity Outside of E uropean Integration
Author(s) -
Schilde Kaija E.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
jcms: journal of common market studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.54
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1468-5965
pISSN - 0021-9886
DOI - 10.1111/jcms.12090
Subject(s) - eurobarometer , identity (music) , accession , phenomenon , identification (biology) , political science , european union , business , international trade , epistemology , biology , philosophy , botany , aesthetics
What do we know about the relationship between E urope, the E uropean U nion and E uropean identity? While national identity is a multifaceted phenomenon, E uropean identity has been linked to the growth of the E uropean U nion. This article attempts to analyze some of the attributes of individuals with E uropean identity in central and eastern E urope prior to EU accession by applying existing hypotheses on correlates of E uropean identity. The phenomenon of identification with E urope prior to EU accession provides a window into understanding the identity mechanisms that inform the concept of E uropean identity. The first Eurobarometer surveys measuring E uropean identification in central and eastern accession states reported a puzzling finding: that more people, not less, identified with Europe than in existing EU states. An analysis of the Eurobarometer results provides counter‐intuitive comparisons and contrasts between eastern and western E urope and uncovers potential mechanisms illustrating the content of contemporary E uropean identity.