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Representation of Europe

Explore the complex nature of national identity and its functions, studying various aspects and debates surrounding national identity and its representations within Europe. Discover the multidimensional construct of national identity, its functions, historic elements, shared cultural aspects, and the role it plays in societal structures.

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Representation of Europe

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  1. Representation of Europe Commonalities and national differences Paszkál Kiss EuroPhD on S.R. & C. Roma, 2005

  2. Main points • National identity: its complexity, and its functions • Different aspects and debates in studying national identity • Commonalities and differences the representations of the nation and of the EU

  3. National identity: components and functions National identity is multidimensional Different functions of national identity Levelsandaspects in social identification

  4. National identity is a multidimensional construct (Smith) • Historic territory, homeland • Shared myths and common historic memories • Shared popular culture • Same rights and duties • Single economic territory with mobility of labour and exchange of goods

  5. Some functions of national identity • Locates the community in space and time • Supports state power and institutions • Reinforces economic control over a given territory • Provides framework for socialization of people as citizens • Establishes a social bond between individuals (by providing shared values and symbols) • Provides a social framework for individual identification

  6. Cumulative hierarchies of regional, national, EU, and international attitudes (Dekker)

  7. Different aspects and debates in studying national identity Different disciplines about NI Debates about when is the nation Psychological theories

  8. Different disciplines about national identity • History (emergence of nations) • Philosophy (nation as an end/value) • Anthropology (cultural analysis and comparison) • Political Science (national institutions, governance, international order) • Sociology (societal structure of nations) • Psychology (national identification, national stereotypes, prejudice)

  9. When is the nation? Primordialists Ethnosymbolists Modernists Nations are eternal Nations are natural collective phenomena Psychologism: social need (group selection) Ethnic roots of nations Elite redraws previously existing ethnic heritage Cultural and political bases for nations (role of symbols and remembering) Nations are only in modernity Elite construction State has primary role (idea of nation-state)

  10. Classic and modern psychological theories about nations Nations from inside • group dynamics (centripetal and centrifugal forces) • leader and public (mass psychology) • indigenous culture studied by cultural psychology • social representations Nations in comparison • study of national character • national stereotypes • intercultural comparison • social identity theory • realistic conflict theory

  11. Empirical research Euronat poject Survey on public opinion

  12. Euronat project 2001-2004 • Research on elite (media, political discourse) and everyday (questionnaire, interview) representations about nation and Europe • Multiple methods used: historic analysis, media analysis, analysis of political discourse, survey, interview • Countries involved: Austria, Czech Republic, Great Britain, Greece, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Spain Founded by European Commission Research DG, Key Action Improving the Socio-Economic Knowledge Base (contract no. HPSE-CT2001-00044)

  13. Survey on public opinon • Spring, 2002 • Representative samples from 9 countries(N=10,023) • Three questions: 1. Social distance2. representation of the nation3. representation of Europe

  14. Closeness as a general attitude The question Correlations National identification patterns

  15. people in city, village people in region fellow nationals EU citizens fellow Europeans people in CEU Arabs Turks Russians US citizens Gypsies Jews „…what extent you feel close to the following groups?”

  16. 1,0 region village ,8 nation ,6 HUNGARY ,4 EU SPAIN Europe ,2 POLAND ITALY GREECE C. & E. Europe GERMANY E. AUSTRIA -,0 GERMANY W. CZECH REP. USA -,2 Russians Gypsies Turks Jews Arabs PATTERNS OF IDENTITY CLOSENESS Russians Gypsies Turks Jews Arabs -,4 GREAT BRITAIN -,6 -,6 -,4 -,2 -,0 ,2 ,4 ,6 ,8 1,0 PATTERNS OF GLOBAL CLOSENESS Optimal Scaling: social distance

  17. National-European identification

  18. Cognitive aspects of representing the nation The question Results

  19. common culture, customs and traditions common language common ancestry common history, destiny common political and legal system common rights and duties common system of social protection a national economy national defence system our homeland a feeling of national pride national independence and sovereignty our national character our national symbols (e.g. the flag, the national anthem) „I feel [Hungarian] because I share with my fellow [Hungarians]…”

  20. ,6 HUNGARY language culture ancestry ,4 hystory/destiny CZECH REP. ,2 GERMANY E. symbols character pride 0,0 AUSTRIA GREECE GERMANY W. borders sovereignty POLAND ITALY politics GREAT BRITAIN -,2 KIND OF NATIONAL IDENTITY rights/duties army SPAIN economy welfare -,4 -,6 -,4 -,2 -,0 ,2 ,4 ,6 ,8 1,0 GLOBAL FEELINGS OF NATIONALISM Optimal Scaling: rep. of nation

  21. Cognitive aspects of EU-representation The question Results

  22. common civilisation Membership in a European society with many languages and cultures common ancestry common history, destiny EU institutions and an emerging common political and legal system common rights and duties common system of social protection within the EU free movement and residence in any part of the EU territory emerging EU defense system common European homeland feeling of pride for being European Sovereignty within the EU territory a (future) common EU currency set of EU symbols (e.g. flag, anthem) „I feel European because I share with fellow Europeans…”

  23. ,8 History/destiny Civilization ancestry hystory/destiny civilization ,6 HUNGARY CZECH REP. ,4 lang./cult. GREAT BRITAIN ,2 POLAND GERMANY E. AUSTRIA GERMANY W. pride 0,0 politics symbols SPAIN rights/duties welfare borders ITALY sovereignty -,2 army mov./resid. economy -,4 Pride Politics Symbols Rights/duties -,6 -,8 KIND OF EUROPEAN IDENTITY -1,0 GREECE -1,2 -,6 -,4 -,2 -,0 ,2 ,4 ,6 ,8 1,0 GLOBAL FEELINGS OF EUROPEANISM Optimal Scaling: rep. of EU

  24. Conclusions Commonalities Differences

  25. Conclusions I. • Attachement to EU: between (parochial) ingroups and outgroups • Dimensions for differences: ethnic(emotional, cultural) – civic(legal, instrumental)levels of identification (region, nation, EU…) • National identity is not in conflict with European attachments (not only independencebut alsosynergy)

  26. Conclusions II. • In both the attitudinal and representational aspects there are great national differences • In attitudes there is a difference in distinguishing between ingroups and outgrups • There is a difference in inclusive-exclusiveness ofnational identification (to EU-attachment) • In rep. of nation there is a difference in emphasizing cultural or non-cultural elements • In rep. of EU there is a difference in emphasizing cultural or non-cultural elements • Differences depend on national history and culture

  27. Thank you for your attention! paszkal_kiss@ludens.elte.hu

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