Essay: European Collective Identity: Historical Premises and Theories.

Collective identity is a term coined by the sociologist and psychologist Alberto Melucci
(1989) in which individuals who have a shared concern and/or a strongly desired change and
who recognize an opportunity for change, create a shared identity as a group that reflects their
collective values, beliefs, and goals (as cited by Grinspun, 2018a).
Collective identity is formed through a dynamic evolving process in which individuals
committed and engaged in a shared cause construct or negotiate amongst themselves a shared
identity. Once formed, the collective identity acts as the outward appearance of the social
movement and its focus so that those within and outside of the social movement can recognize it
and its priorities (Melucci, 1989, as cited by Grinspun, 2018a).
The formation of a collective identity does not occur in isolation; instead, it is shaped by
the local context and environment in which the social movement occurs. This includes an
awareness of the opportunities available and the constraints (Flesher Fominaya, 2010).
Collective identity is expressed through cultural materials or artifacts, such as names,
symbols, narrative styles, practices, and rituals (Flesher Fominaya, 2010; Grinspun, 2018; Serna-
Restrepo et al., 2018 ). It can also be seen in items such as props, clothing, pins, imagery, logos,
or a mascot (Grinspun, 2018; Herechuk et al., 2010; Serna-Restrepo et al., 2018). These
materials can promote a sense of pride of membership, group participation and public visibility
or public presence (Casas-Cortés et al., 2008; Polletta & Jasper, 2001).
Speaking about theories of collective identity, we should emphasie the essentialist
perspective, according to which:
1. Collective identity is something natural, essential, permanent that is found in all
people;
2. The collective identity pre-exists with social actors, it is a biological,
psychological, cultural emergence or regional characteristics;
3. The members of a collectivity internalize the same essential characteristics in a
unitary way which suggests a determined, unique social experience.
Under the essentialist umbrella we can include several theories of collective identity.
Such as primordialist or theory.
The Primordialist approach depicts the nation as based upon a natural, organic
community, which defines the identity of its members, who feel an innate and emotionally
powerful attachment to it. his means that to primordialists the meaning of nationalism correlates
with an inherent or instinctual loyalty to the nation. This loyalty to the nation arises from strong
kinship bonds which manifest into unified national identity drawn from an ethnic core. Through
the primordialist framework there is a one-to-one link between ethnicity and national identity;
giving identity the characteristic of being fixed.
According to the Constructive perspective:
1. Collective identity is a social construction.
2. Collective identity has an instrumental character.
3. Collective identity is a contextual representation, without substance, therefore
multiple and fluid.
We will exemplify this position with the theories of identity called by others
contextualist, instrumentalist or cognitivist.
 Contextual action theory takes the view that identity is enacted; that is, internal processes
are joined with manifest behavior and social meaning in action. Further, it holds that identity is
constructed through goal-directed actions that occur in real-time.
Instrumentalism suggests that ethnic conflicts are caused by either ethnic entrepreneurs
who mobilize the members of their ethnic group in order to achieve their own personal goals, or
they arise as a result of different groups mobilizing their ethnic identities in order to realize their
conflicting goals.
According to cognitive theory identity is conceptualized as a cognitive structure or self-
theory, which provides a personal frame of reference for interpreting self-relevant information,
solving problems, and making decisions.
For the first time, the concept of "European identity" was documented in the "Declaration
on European identity" [1973], signed at the summit of the European Economic Community in
Copenhagen in 1973 (EEC-9) . None of the previous Community texts reported on a common
European identity [Gfeller A.E., 2012, p. 74–75]. The declaration says that, despite the enmity
and conflicts in the past, European countries have common goals and interests. This should
contribute to the unification of Europe and the creation of pan-European institutions.
Representative democracy, the rule of law, social justice, economic progress and human rights
are called the main elements of European identity in the Declaration.
Since the 1980s the European identity policy is mastering the symbolic field: the symbols
of a united Europe are approved - the flag (a blue rectangular panel, in the center of which 12
gold stars were placed in a circle), the anthem (a fragment of the Ninth Symphony - "Ode to Joy"
by Ludwig van Beethoven), a common holiday - "Europe Day" ”, which is celebrated on May 9.
In 1984, during the next summit, this time in Fontainebleau (EEC-10), the first joint conference
of the Community was held, where recommendations were developed for the creation of
autonomous regional bodies and the establishment of direct contacts between them and European
institutions. The relevant institutional structures created within the framework of the summit
have begun to develop a strategy for the formation of a European identity. During this period of
European integration comes an understanding of the role of culture as the basis for the formation
of a common European identity [Lukin V.N., Musienko T.V., 2007].
In the Maastricht "Treaty on the European Union", signed at the 1991-1992 summit. (EU-
12), the theses of the Copenhagen Declaration were supplemented. In particular, it emphasized
the importance of pursuing a common foreign policy, respecting by the Union of the national
identity of the member countries. From that moment on, attention is focused on the importance
of a common cultural policy of the EU, since it became clear that without socio-cultural bonds, a
political union is not able to create deep foundations for the integration of ethnically different
countries. An important aspect of the cultural component of the European integration strategy
has become the idea of European citizenship as the basis for the further construction of European
identity. The European Commission initiates a study of the identity of EU citizens.
At the present stage, given the diversity of the internal space (28 countries, 23 official
languages, dozens of peoples and nationalities, religious diversity, different levels of economic
development, the nature of the political system), the EU focuses on the formation of a civil
nation as a political supranational community. The EU identity is based on the idea of “blurred
statehood” based on EU citizenship, and the activities of EU institutions are aimed at combining
elements of cultural, social and civic identity to expand the field of symbolic interaction between
Europeans and EU institutions [Deriglazova L.V., 2014, p. 199]. Socio-cultural and socio-
political levels of European identity are still at the initial stage of formation. Nevertheless, a
significant number of EU citizens, as the results of sociological surveys show, mark their
belonging not only to a particular state, but also to a large association - the European Union.
However, the strengthening of supranationality in the process of socio-political and socio-
cultural integration of the EU is complicated by several factors, including the expansion of the
European Union, the inclusion of new states [Goncharuk N.S., 2009, p. 3–4].
So, the history of the construction of European identity shows that it is a political project
associated with the need to strengthen European integration. The political elites of the EU have
sought and are seeking to build a "European identity" over existing national and ethnic identities.
Speaking about the EU's activities in constructing a European identity, it is important to highlight
its goals. They consist in the formation among people living in the EU, the consciousness of their
belonging to a single pan-European space, as well as a sense of pride in citizenship in the EU; a
complex of knowledge, ideas and concepts about how different cultures can be integrated into
the public life of the common EU space without losing their originality and uniqueness.
According to some researchers, identity is a double problem in the EU today. First, there
is a need for an identity at the level of the Union. This identity must be clear and understandable
both within the EU and beyond. Secondly, it is necessary to structurally integrate Europe not
only at the level of politics, economies, but also at the level of existing national identities
[Berendeev M.V., 2012, p. 71].
Describing European identity as a phenomenon, scientists single out two levels in its
structure: ethno-national identities and the identity of citizens of EU member states. Due to the
presence of two levels in the structure of European identity, the traditional identity for Europe is
being eroded: one part of it seems to be moving to the level of the European Union and European
institutions; the other part is acquired and assimilated by the regions - this is the reason for the
revival of regional movements in a number of European countries. G.I. Weinstein in his work
“European Identity: Desirable and Real” notes that European identity does not imply the
displacement of national self-consciousness and its replacement with any other type of
identification, while the real goal is the formation of a “double” type of belonging [Weinstein
G.I. ., 2009, p. 124].
Some researchers consider European identity as a phenomenon that has arisen in
opposition to national feelings. But most scholars believe that European identity and national
identities, on the contrary, are compatible and positively correlated.
The formation of European identity is not only a process of purposeful construction. In
addition to the "vertical" identification of oneself with a political entity, an important indicator of
identity is the "horizontal" identification with other representatives of this community, i.e.
solidarity. The solidarity of EU citizens manifests itself at different levels and in various forms,
for example, in the desire to create a family with citizens of EU countries or willingness to help
other EU countries. The formation of identities can occur in the process of social interaction of
various social groups (representatives of elite groups, business, the expert community, civil and
cultural initiatives), building social networks, exchanging goods and services, through political
bargaining and mobilization [Semenenko I.S., 2014 , With. fourteen].
The identity formed at the EU level is, of course, a "moving" structure. According to
S.M. Khenkin, the civic identity of an average person living in the EU is characterized by
divided loyalty — a plurality of forms of self-identification [Khenkin S., 2014]. Gradually, an
understanding is emerging that European identity has a multiple, multi-level character, including
national, ethnic, regional and other components.