LECTURE 1

   

IDENTITY

   

   

   -        THE `NARRATIVE OF THE NATION'

   -        national history

   -        literature

   -        through the media

   -        through popular culture

   

          these provide:

   -        a set of stories, images, historical events, national symbols and rituals

   

   ......which represent:

   -         the shared experiences, triumphs and disasters, which give meaning to the nation

   

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                                        SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT:

   

   -        establishing over time a greater degree of mutual acceptance or tolerance amongst the
   different peoples (different populations of each state) of the European Union.

   

   -        through processes such as:

   -        education

   -        cultural exchanges

   -         communication processes

   -        economic and political processes

   -        social celebrations/anniversaries/festivals

   

                                             LECTURE 1

   

   

IDENTITY

   

   

                                EUROPEAN COMMISSION SURVEY JUNE 2001





                                 PERCEPTIONS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION







   1.   There was a widespread feeling of a loss of values, and a loss of a previously cohesive
   social fabric.

   -        a dilution of the values of solidarity and community

   -        increasing drug use

   -        increasing crime and insecurity

   -        a fear of the destabilisation of society by uncontrollable immigration

   -        isolation of young people

   

   

   2.   There was a feeling that economic liberalism had gone too far, or had gone wrong

   -        people were concerned about the deterioration of essential public services (health,
   education, public transport)

   -        people were concerned about the growing gap between rich and poor

   -         BUT the general overall improvement in the economic situation in most of the Member
   States was rarely mentioned.

                                             LECTURE 1



IDENTITY

   

   

   

   

   In order to construct a European Union `identity' the European Union must be `experienced' by
   the citizen in his or her everyday life:

   

   -        The European Union must make itself felt in (be part of) education and culture, news,
   and communications

   

   -        The European Union must also protect the rights of the individual and strengthen
   democracy

   

   -        The European Union must have a set of institutions which have legitimacy (a
   legitimacy achieved through the `will' of the people)

   

   -        The image of the European Union must be one that demonstrates the solidarity of
   European people and the values (diverse values) of European society

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

                                                LECTURE 1



                                             OBSTACLES







   1.   A growing diversity, differences, in the level of socio-economic development across the
   European Union

   -        this threatens to obscure the basic commonality of interests

   

   

   2.   Processes of profound structural economic change, which brings a rise in unemployment in
   some regions, and in turn this threatens the already overstretched social systems and social
   stability in the European Union

   

   

   3.   These two things (above) fuel a rise in nationalism in some states

   --      through fear and anxiety about economic and social issues (unemployment, immigration)

   -- fear and anxiety tempt people to seek refuge in a return to the nation-state and national
   symbols, rather than transnational symbols