Grand Theories of European Integration
- European Integration: Sharing things / authority
- Neofunctionalism
- incremental: once EI has started in one area, policymakers will decide to integrate other areas
- functional to pool authority
- intergovernmentalism
- rejects the self-perpetuation of integration
- every step of integration is a compromise
- both theories very elite-focused → people will be fine anyway, too complex to understand
- Maastricht Treaty: turning point
- EU moves from purely economic group of states to political union
- laid foundation for euro
- led to politicisation
- public has opinion and power
- postfunctionalism
- European integration no longer about economic things → politicization
- EI not necessarily about efficiency but identity
What is (European) identity?
- minimal group paradigm
- identified with group even if assignment is arbitrary
- → how can discrimination occur when groups are minimal
- identity also involves choice & can be nested
- Eurobarometer: no equal identity possible → exclusivity
- identity measured with simplistic question
- identity can change
- people are getting more inclusive conceptions of identity which also includes European identity
How do people become European?
- parental socialisation → most impressionable years around 16
- hard to research but claims for some kind of evidence
- Social threat can be driver of identity, e.g. migration & job loss
- slides: European identity increased in high-threat countries (e.g. sharing a border) after the invasion of Crimea
- Acting European strengthens European identity → group membership must be made salient to you
- voting in referendum heightened sense of Europeanness
What is European identity “good” for?
- lower likelihood to be eurosceptic
- has been replicated many times
- lower likelihood to have voted for Brexit
- identity question of what happens in the country
- identity can be powerful framing
- more likely to redistribute across borders
How can European identity be fostered?