Abstract:

“Europe” and “European” have been used as concepts in order to express a common heritage acquired through centuries. Today, “European identity” stands out as a matter concerning foremost the European Union and basically, about the European Union. This study analyzes the content and the possibilities in the concept of European identity which appears often on the agenda during the enlargement processes of the European Communities, questioning of US-Europe alliance and the progresses in European integration. The context in which the issue of identity appears within European Union and the concept of identity in general, takes place at the beginning of the study. Later, the constituent elements of European identity and its “others” are discussed. Last, the potential disadvantages of the nation-state model used in the constitution and discussion about European identity are evaluated.

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