This book examines the construction of the EU’s political identity (or identities), variations in its strength, and the nature of its content. Drawing on studies both on European nation-state formation and on the EU’s identity, the chapters take a top-down approach and analyse how EU institutions in different major policy domains have themselves sought to create political identity through policy making. The authors define the construction of EU political identity and set out empirically applicable indicators to assess political identity in policy making. They analyse the construction of identity through a process-oriented approach that explicitly includes contestation and the existence of rival political identities. Comparing across policy domains, the contributions suggest that the ability of EU institutions to construct an EU political identity has been limited not only by existing national identities but also by the coexistence of rival EU political identities within policy domains. Hence, it has been difficult for EU institutions to establish a strong identity, with identity being strongest where there are clear external alternatives and limited rival identities within the EU.
Author(s): Sabine Saurugger, Mark Thatcher
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 175
City: Cham
Contents
1 Constructing the EU’s political identity in policy making
Abstract
Introduction
Analysing the EU’s political identity
Studying the EU’s political identity in policy making
Findings
Conclusions
Acknowledgements
References
2 Constructing and de-constructing the European political identity: the contradictory logic of the EU’s institutional system
Abstract
Introduction
Political identity and institutional system
Supranational institutions and the European political identity
Intergovernmentalism and the resurgence of nationalism
Conclusion
References
3 Affirming Europe with trade: deal negotiations and the making of a political identity
Abstract
The Commission and the EU’s political identity
The EU as a trade ‘Actor’: the broader literature
Food, earth, and tradition: protecting Europe at the CETA and TTIP negotiations
Cutting edge and efficient: the EU Commission and the pursuit of the internal digital single market
First pillar: access to digital market
Second pillar: the right business environment
Third pillar: growth potential
Conclusion
References
4 Transforming identity in international society: the potential and failure of European integration
Abstract
Limits of transformation: revisiting Mitrany and Bull
Regional order, identity and border formation in international society
Case I: Cyprus
Case II: Ukraine
Identity and the transformative challenge for EU external policy
References
5 Do central bankers dream of political union? From epistemic community to common identity
Abstract
Splendid isolation
Unconventional monetary policy
Financial market supervision
Responsibility and accountability
A strategically constructivist solution
References
6 The EU’s legal identities and the Court of Justice of the EU
Abstract
Introduction
Legal identity across areas: does the Court still trigger ‘integration through law’?
What do we understand by ‘integration through law’?
The EU’s ‘integration through law’ identity: challenged but resilient
Legal identity in different policy areas: is the CJEU market oriented?
Free movement and the internal market as core notions of EU’s legal identity
Social and health policies through and beyond market integration
The protection of fundamental rights
Conclusion
Acknowledgements
References
7 Common market, normative power or super-state? Conflicting political identities in EU asylum and immigration policy
Abstract
Political identity and immigration policy
Contests over values and identities in EU asylummigration policies
The statist identity: community-building and internal security
The ‘normative power’ identity: image in the world and universal human rights
The ‘market power’ identity: economic competitiveness and the quest for labour
Conclusion
Acknowledgements
References
8 Direct and market governance paths for the creation of an EU political identity: cultural heritage policy
Abstract
Introduction
Cultural heritage, EU cultural policy and political identity building
Directly promoting an EU identity through cultural heritage
The ‘unity in diversity’ strategy
Subcase of policies to develop an EU identity: Creating EU public symbols and labels
Governing cultural heritage and markets
Limiting, linking and creating economic markets in cultural heritage
Subcase study of markets and heritage: regulation of cross-border trade in artistic objects
Conclusion: the EU’s path to political identity in EU cultural heritage policy
Acknowledgements
References
9 Understanding the identity of a policy field: the European Commission and liberal modernization in the domain of labour and social policy
Abstract
The identitarian turn in EU studies
Advancing labour and social policy via policy domain identity: the 1990s
Policy domain identity in the 2000s: the Lisbon Agenda
The 2010s: pushback against the liberal modernization image
Conclusion
References
10 Comment: the EU and European identity
References
11 EU political identity, integration and top-down analyses: a reply to Neil Fligstein
Abstract
Identity, integration and cross-domain comparison
Citizens, social groups and EU institutions in identity building
The EU as a state
References
