The Effect of Collective Identity on European Integration

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Collective Identity 2
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1: INTORDUCTION....................................................................................................3
Introduction..............................................................................................................................3
Background of the Study...........................................................................................................3
Aims of the Study......................................................................................................................4
Research Questions..................................................................................................................4
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW.........................................................................................5
Introduction..............................................................................................................................5
CHAPTER 3: METHODLOGY......................................................................................................7
Research Design.......................................................................................................................7
Data Collection........................................................................................................................7
Data Analysis............................................................................................................................7
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DICUSSION.................................................................................8
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION........................................................................................................9
BIBLIOGRAPHY..........................................................................................................................10

Collective Identity 1

CHAPTER 1: INTORDUCTION

Introduction
The issues of European citizenship have become a major source of debate in both legal
and scientific studies. This debate originated from the controversy of whether citizenship beyond
the boundary of the nation-states is possible or not. Scholars have focused on the limitations
associated with European citizenship to that of national citizenship bemoaning the
underdeveloped character of European citizenship, whereas on the other hand many scholars
have highlighted the constructive potential of the European citizenship in the coming future.
Collective identity is viewed as an essential component of the democratic decision making and
creation of a stable political system. This stance tends to utilize the model of collective identity
and its characteristics with the nation-states associated with the EU1. The concept assumes that
the polities draw their collective identity from a common historical background as well as
communication with each other in an integrated environment.
Background of the Study
The existing collective identities of the European citizens have gone through some major
changes due to the process of globalization and European integration. An essential element of
these changes emerge from the changing nature of the nation state, which in past few years have
become a major source of reference for the European citizens2. An essential component for
1 Eder, Klaus, and Willfried Spohn, eds. Collective memory and European identity: the effects of
integration and enlargement. Gower Publishing, Ltd., 2005.
2 Schlesinger, Philip. "From cultural defence to political culture: media, politics and collective identity in
the European Union." Media, Culture & Society 19, no. 3 (1997): 369-391.

Collective Identity 2
understanding the fluctuations inside the state includes the supranational integration,
globalization, and multiculturalism. Thus, political identity and individual loyalty of the
politicians have emerged as the wider collective identification, and are no longer channelled in a
predominant manner by the nation state. Since the nature of the modern imagined communities
has changed, due to the domination of the national, and the Westphalian triad of territory, there
has been a dynamic in the formation of identification of the European citizens. In various
approaches towards the European integration a consensus is found among the point of view that
the nation state is losing its salience as the political organisation of human activities. The profounding thing to notify here is that these processes are even more profound in the Eastern and
Central Europe.
Aims of the Study
The aim of this study is to understand the effect of collective identity of the European
integration. The research study will deal with the changing nature of the collective identity
formation in the enlarging Europe. In this study the research will investigate the changes that
have occurred in established identities in the EU member states, and will provide theoretical
reflections on the new processes associated with the reconstruction of identity.

Research Questions
The research questions that will be addressed in this study are:
Q1. What impact do the new patterns of collective identity have on the process of
European integration?
Q2. What type of identity will emerge due to the European integration?

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CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

Introduction
We understand the concept of identity as neither a process nor a fixed structure. The
concept of identity is perceived as the dynamic construction of images in relation to the others.
The ongoing process concerned with the renegotiations of the boundaries between the old and
new Europe has resulted in the emergence of the partners in negotiations and dialogues with the
new significant others3.
Collective identity is a prerequisite for the future collective social practices along with
the outcomes of various social practices, accumulated with the marks of the past experiences4.
This is crucial to understand the relationship democratic order and collective identification.
Collective identities serve as the basis of the political and the social institutions and at the same
time they serve as the basis for the preservance of the established identities for democratic order.
Thus, today EU is facing one of the most stimulating paradoxes of identity and democracy of a
group, which as the same time serves as the foundation and the goal itself5.
In this section of the study we will address the following areas:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

History of European identity

Theories of Integration and Identity
Europeanization and identity change
Relationship between Political parties, collective identities, and EU support
Europeanization, collective identities, and the enlargement Eastern Europe

3 Risse, Thomas. "The Euro between national and European identity." Journal of European Public Policy
10, no. 4 (2003): 487-505.
4 Hooghe, Liesbet, and Gary Marks. "Does identity or economic rationality drive public opinion on
European integration?." Political Science and Politics 37, no. 03 (2004): 415-420.
5 Eder, Klaus. "A theory of collective identity making sense of the debate on a European identity."
European Journal of Social Theory 12, no. 4 (2009): 427-447.

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Collective Identity 5
CHAPTER 3: METHODLOGY

Research Design
For this study the researcher will use qualitative research methodology. Qualitative research is
selected for this study in order to get in-depth understanding of the impact that collective
identities have had on the European integration. The qualitative research method will allow the
author to investigate the why and how the political decision making has affected the process of
European integration.
Data Collection
For this study the author will use secondary data, secondary data for the study will be
collected from various libraries such as EBSCO, and ProQuest. The keywords that will be used
by the author for searching relevant information includes: European identity, Europeanization,
collective identities

Data Analysis
The data for the research study will be analysed by comparing the studies of various
scholars that have been previously been conducted on this topic. This will enable the author to
measure the impact of collective identities on the European integration. It will be assumed that
collective identities are formed prior to the attitudes towards the EU, and the subsequently affect
the preferences concerning the EU integration.

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CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DICUSSION
In this section of the study the researcher will presents the results of the study in the form
a brief discussion. This section of the study will enable the readers to understand the complexity
of contemporary collective identities, and how they have impact EU. Along, with that this
section of the study will also take in account national level of identification employed by the
European Union, keeping in mind the boundaries of collective bearers and substantive beliefs
and values. In, the end this section will answer the question whether European institutions are
effected by the formation of collective identities.

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CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION
According to the assumptions our research study will demonstrate the fact that European
Socialization and the subsequent change in identity is not a process. Acquiring new roles and
identifies inside the EU does not come at the expense of tradition and national identities.
Furthermore, the study is expected to demonstrate the concept that when one unpacks the
concept of identity, the choice of the individual does not play any role in this. This realization
will allows understanding the emerging debate in a much broader theoretical literature between
rationalism and more sociological approaches.

Collective Identity 8
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Eder, Klaus, and Willfried Spohn, eds. Collective memory and European identity: the effects of
integration and enlargement. Gower Publishing, Ltd., 2005.
Eder, Klaus. "A theory of collective identity making sense of the debate on a European
identity." European Journal of Social Theory 12, no. 4 (2009): 427-447.
Hooghe, Liesbet, and Gary Marks. "Does identity or economic rationality drive public opinion
on European integration?." Political Science and Politics 37, no. 03 (2004): 415-420.
Risse, Thomas. "The Euro between national and European identity." Journal of European Public
Policy 10, no. 4 (2003): 487-505.
Schlesinger, Philip. "From cultural defence to political culture: media, politics and collective
identity in the European Union." Media, Culture & Society 19, no. 3 (1997): 369-391.