| dc.description.abstract | A PEOPLE'S EUROPE. THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY'S STRATEGY TO DEVELOP A EUROPEAN IDENTITY.
The main question being asked in this thesis is: has the European Community utilized traditional nation-building means to establish a European identity?
To be the focus of political identification for the large majority of politically aware citizens is a main characteristic of a union. When identitive integrating assets are put into practice, people's identification with the supranational level i slikely to increase. Attempts at putting identitive assets into practice took place in Western Europe in the 18th and 19th century during the establishment of nation-states - a period later referred to as a nation-building epoch. On this basis, the political scientist Rokkan has developed a model on nation-building describing a development of nation-states in phases; one phase concerning development of channels for direct contact between elite and the citizens and a standardization to establish a widespread feeling of political identity among people. This thesis explores policies of the European Community to reveal whether the EC has utilized traditional nation-building means to establish a European identity.
Primary and secondary sources of the European Community from 1984/85 until 1992 are drawn upon in order to: 1) disclose political will to create a European identity among citizens, 2) explore the relevant political strategies, and 3) find the arguments behind the policies.
Central to this thesis has been the work of the Adonnino-committee. This was an adhoc committee to the committee preparing the Single European Act, working during 1984 to identify how to develop people's European identity. Following the committee's recommendations, the European Community has utilized the nationbuilding means invention of traditions when introducing the European flag, a European anthem and a Europe Day to develop a European identity among citizens. To sponsor European sport and encourage European cultural arrangements are other parts of this strategy.
To revise history is also part of a nation-building strategy. The Commission supported the initiative to write a book on the revised history of Europe - seen in overall European as opposed to a national perspective. Through promoting Jean Monnet - who worked all his life to achieve the united states of Europe - as a founding father of Europe, the Community has utilized the traditional nation-building means to personify a political project. The Commission's objective has been to add legitimacy to the development of a European supranational community through referring to common European history and traditions.
Common educational systems are significant to nation-building projects, due to the possibilities to socialize citizens. The European Community has endeavoured to establish a European system of education - transcending national borders - through a variety of exchange programmes. To educate a group of students this way provides the Community with young "internal market" Europeans. The Community has been cautious about penetrating any national educational system as such, avoiding national protests.
Mass media and the audio-visual sector is traditionally exploited for nation-building purposes. European news, European co-operation within film-productions, development of new audio-visual technology are sectors the Community has supported to establish a European identity. Languages obstacles, national opposition and technical restrains have made it difficult to achieve the Community's objectives within mass media, thus making a European mass media policy too fragile and inadequate to be comprehended as part of a supranation-building strategy.
Citizenship, vital to traditional nation-building, is introduced with the Treaty on European Union. The citizens are thereby written directly into the Treaty, and there is established a legal relationship between the citizens and the supranational level. A European citizenship legitimizes the Community's political institutions similar to national citizenships legitimizing national institutions.
The majority of the European supranation-building strategy supplements already introduced national strategies and national invented traditions. Thus, they seem to form a policy to develop an additional identity to the national political identities, thus introducing the concept of multiple identities among people's of the European Community. | nor |