Representation of Europe

Commonalities and national differences

Paszkál KissEuroPhD on S.R. & C.Roma, 2005

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

National identity: components and functions

National identity is multidimensional

Different functions of national identity

Levels and aspects in social identification

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

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

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

Different aspects and debates in studying national identity

Different disciplines about NI

Debates about when is the nation

Psychological theories

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)

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)

Classic and modern psychological theories about nationsNations 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

Empirical researchEuronat poject

Survey on public opinion

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)

Survey on public opinon

Spring, 2002

Representative samples from 9 countries (N=10,023)

Three questions:

1. Social distance 2. representation of the nation3. representation of Europe

Closeness as a general attitudeThe question

Correlations

National identification patterns

„…what extent you feel close to the following groups?”

people in city, village people in region fellow nationals EU citizens fellow Europeans people in CEU

Arabs Turks Russians US citizens Gypsies Jews

Optimal Scaling: social distance

PATTERNS OF GLOBAL CLOSENESS

1,0,8,6,4,2-,0-,2-,4-,6

PA

TT

ER

NS

OF

ID

EN

TIT

Y C

LO

SE

NE

SS

1,0

,8

,6

,4

,2

-,0

-,2

-,4

-,6

POLAND

HUNGARY

CZECH REP.

AUSTRIAGERMANY E.

GREAT BRITAIN

SPAIN

ITALYGREECE

GERMANY W.

JewsGypsies

USARussiansTurksArabs

C. & E. Europe

Europe

EU

nation

regionvillage

RussiansGypsiesTurksJewsArabs

National-European identification

57

56

55

46

42

41

38

36

34

25

31

41

34

35

55

39

41

44

51

44

12

3

11

19

3

20

21

20

15

31

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

ITALY

HUNGARY

SPAIN

CZECH REPUBLIC

POLAND

AUSTRIA

GERMANY WEST

GERMANY EAST

GREECE

GREAT BRITAIN

Inclusive

Exclusive

Other

Cognitive aspects of representing the nation

The question

Results

„I feel [Hungarian] because I share with my fellow [Hungarians]…”

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)

Optimal Scaling: rep. of nation

GLOBAL FEELINGS OF NATIONALISM

1,0,8,6,4,2-,0-,2-,4-,6

KIN

D O

F N

AT

ION

AL

ID

EN

TIT

Y

,6

,4

,2

0,0

-,2

-,4

POLAND

HUNGARY

CZECH REP.

AUSTRIA

GERMANY E.

GREAT BRITAIN

SPAIN

ITALY

GREECEGERMANY W.

symbols

character

sovereignty

pride

borders

army

economywelfare

rights/duties

politics

hystory/destiny

ancestry

languageculture

Cognitive aspects of EU-representation

The question

Results

„I feel European because I share with fellow Europeans…”

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)

Optimal Scaling: rep. of EU

GLOBAL FEELINGS OF EUROPEANISM

1,0,8,6,4,2-,0-,2-,4-,6

KIN

D O

F E

UR

OP

EA

N I

DE

NT

ITY

,8

,6

,4

,2

0,0

-,2

-,4

-,6

-,8

-1,0

-1,2

POLAND

HUNGARY

CZECH REP.

AUSTRIAGERMANY E.

GREAT BRITAIN

SPAIN

ITALY

GREECE

GERMANY W.

symbols

economy

sovereignty

pride

borders

army

mov./resid.

welfarerights/duties

politics

hystory/destinyancestry

lang./cult.

civilization

History/destinyCivilization

PridePoliticsSymbolsRights/duties

Conclusions

Commonalities

Differences

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 independence but also synergy)

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 of national 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

Thank you for your attention!

paszkal_kiss@ludens.elte.hu