European Identity Revisited : New Approaches and Recent Empirical Evidence

It has been argued that the emergence of a European collective identity would help overcome growing disparity caused by the increasing diversity of today’s European Union, with 28 member states and more than 500 million people.

Research on European integration is facing the pressing question of what holds ‘Europe’ together in times of crisis, growing distributional conflict and instability in its neighbourhood. This book departs from the ideas of group cohesion in the EU, and reflects on the newest dynamics and practices of European identity. Whilst applying innovative qualitative, quantitative and experimental research methods and an interdisciplinary approach, this volume looks at a variety of issues such as European citizenship, mobility of European citizens, space-based identities, dual identities, student identity and value-sharing. In doing so, this volume presents new perspectives on this complex and dynamic subject and points to potential solutions both in the academic discourse and the political practice of the EU.

This text will be of key interest to scholars and students of European integration, European studies, international relations, citizenship studies, political sociology as well as more broadly in the social sciences.

Viktoria Kaina is Full Professor and holds the Chair of Political Science I: State and Governance at the University of Hagen.

Ireneusz P. Karolewski is Professor and holds the Chair of Political Science at the Willy Brandt Centre for German and European Studies, at the University of Wroclaw. He is also Adjunct Professor at the Chair of Political Theory, University of Potsdam.

Sebastian Kuhn is Research Assistant and Lecturer at the Chair of Political Science I: State and Governance at the University of Hagen.