LECTURE 8

   

   

   A EUROPEAN UNION IDENTITY IN THE FUTURE

   

   

   3 dimensions of the European Union's top-down policies designed to embellish E.U. identity:

   

   1.   the development of rights and citizenship;

   

   2.   the politics of `belonging' and `symbols'; and

   

   3.   the development of, and support for, cross-national networks and co-operation

   

   

   Source: Brigid Laffan, `The Politics of Identity and Political Order in Europe', in Journal of
   Common Market Studies, vol.34, no.1 (August 1996).

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   LECTURE 8

   

   

   A EUROPEAN UNION IDENTITY IN THE FUTURE

   

   

   

   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