The Europeans: Political Identity in an Emerging Polity

To what extent and for what reasons do citizens of the European Union think of themselves not as French or German or Polish or ... , but as European? How have the answers changed over time? What explains variations among individuals? Addressing these and related questions, David Green draws on a vast amount of empirical data to thoroughly investigate the phenomenon of European identity. Green finds that there is indeed a sense of European identity among a substantial segment of the EU population—but it is an identity with a very different character than that of traditional political identities. His demonstration of the "postmodern," instrumental nature of European identity has serious implications not only for the development of the EU, but for international politics more broadly.

* Introduction: The Study of European Political Identity. * The Idea of European Identity. * Are There Any "Europeans" in Europe? * Who are "the Europeans"?: Explaining Variance in Levels of European Identity. * What Does It Mean to Be "European"? The Nature and Content of European Identity. * How "European" are the Europeans? The Depth of European Identification. * Conclusion: European Identity and Its Context. * Appendixes.