European identity politics

1. European identity politics CEMES European Citizenship and Cultural Identity A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

2. Identity politics • The symbolic dimension of all politics (the legitimizing subject) • A politics of creating/constructing identity • A politics of mobilising identity • An analytical term for analysing identity in politics A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

3. Identity politics (cont.) • A politics of constructing/promoting a certain identity • Group policy or state policy • The state: Domestic or foreign policy • Domestic: towards citizens, residents and immigrants • Foreign: towards other states A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

4. From individual self to social self (socialisation) From social self to collective identity The concept of identity A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

5. The concept of identity • Existential: individuals living in society have perceptions of commonality (why are we living together?) • Processual: collective identity derives from social processes of identification • Political: identification can take place in public and political space A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

6. Identification and identity social • Identification political identity public state process ’essence’ A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

7. identification in discourse a subject position Speaker position semantics (who can speak?) (with which words?) identity A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

8. the modern matrixof collective identity state patria nation A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

9. From territory to place From commun-ication to language From tradition to roots From customs to culture The semantics of nation A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

10. the structure of identity time space narrative Symbolic geography A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

11. Adding the third dimension: state state time space narrative Symbolic geography A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

12. The feed back loop processual being identity essentialist A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

13. Analysing European identity politics • The legitimizing subject in all European politics • The active promotion of a European identity (cultural policy) A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

14. European identity politics in three dimensions • A symbolic geography (e.g. sites of heritage) • A narrative (e.g. a foundation myth) • State (e.g. citizenship, passport) A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

15. The two dimensions in a historical perspective • 1945: Two starting points • Federation (based on common values) • Foundation myth A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

16. European federation paneuropean cosmopolitan ’civilisation’ universal values FEDERATION political order A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

17. It is a serious question whether a political community can achieve political order without developing a foundation myth (Carl Friedrich 1963) …. their myths and symbols, their historical memories and central values, which we can summarize, ast the ’myth-symbol’ complex (Anthony Smith 1986) A foundation myth A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

18. What is a myth (for)? • A narrative of birth/beginning (where do we come from?) • A basis for ontological stability (who are we?) • A reservoir of basic moral coordinates (what are our values?) A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

19. The structure of the mythical narrative the myth the political chaos – new beginning decision The myth at work legitimization Myth making A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

20. Making the myth • It is time indeed that that voice [the voice of Europe] should be raised upon the scene of chaos and prostration caused by the wrongs and hatreds of the past…. (Winston Churchill at the Congress of Europe, 1948) A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

21. Making the myth (cont.) • We wish to unite Europe to secure permanent peace between its peoples and to prevent the horrors of a war of total destruction (Coudenhove-Kalergi, 1948) • The contribution which an organized and living Europe can bring to civilisation is indispensable to the maintenance of peaceful relations. (…) A united Europe was not achieved and we had war. (The Schumann declaration, 1950) A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

22. The Europeanmyth-symbol complex values culture ‘civilisation’ symbols myth Alternative myth: The glorious past (antiquity etc.) unity A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

23. The others values culture Nationalism other cultures our selfnon-Europeans in the past myth Unity in diversity A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

24. The two layers of the complex Values: Universal European European values Culture: European national Unity in diversity myth A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

25. The myth at work • The Nine European States might have been pushed towards disunity by their history and by selfishly defending misjudged interests. But they have overcome their past enmities and have decided that unity is a basic European necessity to ensure the survival of the civilization which they have in common.’ (Declaration on the European identity, Copenhagen 1973) A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

26. Culture at work The People’s Europe: Communication from the Commission to the EP, 7 July 1988 A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

27. Identity political activity Myth making 2003 (ENP) The federal 2000 Constitution Moment 45-48 92-96 War in Europe 1992 (Maastricht) 1973-4 (identity) high the myth at work The rescue of the nation state culture citizenship Cold war low A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

28. The tools of identity politics • Myth making and constitution • Cultural policy: imitating the national symbols • Citizenship and (mobility) rights (constitution) • Foreign policy A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

29. Europe and the wars in Europe • This is the hour of Europe. If one problem can be solved by the Europeans it is the Yugoslav problem. This is a European country and it is not up to the Europeans (Jacques Poos, The President of the European Council, 1991) A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

30. The constitution • BELIEVING that Europe, reunited after bitter experiences, intends to continue along the path of civilisation, progress and prosperity, for the good of all its inhabitants, including the weakest and most deprived; that it wishes to remain a continent open to culture, learning and social progress; and that it wishes to deepen the democratic and transparent nature of its public life, and to strive for peace, justice and solidarity throughout the world. • (Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe, 2004) A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

31. Europe and Holocaust • After the horrors of the Second World War and the Holocaust, the desire for peace was the first and essential driving force of European unification. (…) Right down to the present day the desire for peace is a vital part of the very idea of Europe, the way of looking at life and at the relations between peoples that we Europeans naturally recognise as our own (Romano Prodi 2003). A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

32. Europe in the world Europe needs to project its model of society into the wider world. We are not simply here to defend our own interests: we have a unique historic experience to offer. The experience of liberating people from poverty, war, oppression and intolerance. We have forged a model of development and continental integration based on the principles of democracy, freedom and solidarity and it is a model that works”. (Romano Prodi 2000). A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

33. Europe as a global player • If we want to satisfy the rising expectations and hopes of countries abroad and the peoples of Europe, we have to become a real global player. (...) We have to assume our role as a global player (Romano Prodi, 2002) A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

34. The shift in identity politics Unity in diversity Europe as a global player weak strong the myth the other world the nations A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier

35. Discursive fields Culture values unity in global diversity player myth EUROPE A A R H U S U N I V E R S I T E T Institut for Historie og Områdestudier