Abstract:

 

L.Licata (2003).
Representing the future of the European Union: Consequences
on national and European identifications.
Papers on Social Representations, 12, pages 5.1-5.22.
[http://www.psr.jku.at/]

 

Since the creation in Maastricht of the status of citizen of the Union, member
States' nationals possess a dual citizenship: they are both citizens of their country
and of the European Union. This raises the issue of the relationship between
subordinate (nations) and super-ordinate (EU) levels of identification. This paper
first investigates the relevance of Social Representations and Social Identity
Theories for understanding geopolitical identity building processes. The national
model is examined, then its role as a source of social cognitive anchoring in the
development of social representations of Europe is outlined. It was predicted that
anticipating antagonistic relationships between the nation and the EU would elicit a
perception of threat and therefore hinder European identification whereas
anticipating a complementary relationship would facilitate it. Results of three
correlational studies with French-speaking Belgian psychology students
addressing their national and European identifications and their anticipatory
representations of the European integration process are presented. They show
that participants were generally euro-enthusiastic, but that potential losses of
cultural distinctiveness and of national sovereignty were perceived as threatening.
Moreover, they confirmed that identification with Europe is facilitated by a
representation of Europe and the nation as complementary rather than
antagonistic. Results are discussed with respect to their theoretical contribution
and to their implications for the pursuit of the European integration project.