PROJECT ENDED
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Overview Activities
The multi-disciplinary thematic network on Europeanization, Collective identities and Public Discourses (IDnet) investigates the processes by which Europeanization influences and transforms collective identities relating to the nation-state. To that purpose, it analyses the role of the media and public discourses in these processes by which individuals and social groups negotiate and transform their collective identities. At the same time, it concentrates on the private conversations among citizens, as well as the socialisation experiences of actors involved in European policy-making, at the various supranational, national and sub-national levels. IDnet is a two years' project, which thematically addresses four sets of questions. These are laid out below and for each one of them, it is briefly summed up what progress has been made over the last year and what aspects the project will emphasise in the remaining twelve months.
1. The first concern of the research scheme is the impact of Europeanization and the emergence of a European polity on the collective identities of social groups in various countries. The main question is to what extent the emerging European "discourse" and increasing transnational communication patterns influence and redefine established national and sub-national identities.
A first matter that requires attention in this context is a methodological one. To this purpose, a workshop will take place in July 2001 that discusses the quality versus quantity methodological dilemma related to the study of collective identity and explores to what extent these dilemmas are false ones. The aim of the workshop is to propose research strategies that combine positivist with constructionist approaches as well as quantitative with qualitative methods.
The second question addressed under this heading is what impact institutions, and in particular European institutions, have on identity and change in identity. A conference on this issue in June 2000 has resulted in a proposal for an edited volume on 'Europeanization: Institutions and the Evolution of Social Identities', that will be finalised in a follow-up workshop in June 2001. It links up empirical questions to theory, combines qualitative with quantitative research methods, brings together different theoretical approaches and draws a complete picture over different levels of analysis. Thereby it aims to provide answers on the question whether multiple identities are nested, layered or cross-cutting, whether institutions contribute to the strengthening of national and / or international identities and the mechanisms by which different forms and structures have these effects. It broadly concentrates on three aspects: the effect of EU institutions on elite identities, the actual identity formation process and the outcome of identity change for the masses.
2. The second focus of the project is on the micro-mechanisms by which collective identities change and the question whether European integration and the increasing involvement of social groups and actors in European policy-making lead to socialisation effects on the collective identities of actors. A set of three workshops will result in an edited volume on this subject. The first methodological workshop was held in June 2000 and concentrated on the conceptualising and operationalising of socialisation mechanisms. Subsequently, it was decided that the contributors would collaborate on the theme 'international institutions and socialisation in the new Europe'. In practice, this means empirically exploring the mechanisms of socialisation from a variety of theoretical perspectives, including organisational theory, social constructivism, rational choice and social psychology. Contributors will analyse the socialisation potential and practice of several different European organisations, such as the EU, NATO and the Council of Europe, and how these mechanism vary across the old East-West divide, as well as between formal and informal settings. At the second workshop in May 2001, the draft chapters will be presented and discussed. The edited volume will then be finalised during a workshop in January 2002, where equally a number of policy memos will be presented and discussed.
3. The third issue of concern for IDnet is what role the media and public discourses play in processes of identity formation and identity change. Main question thereby is whether there is an emerging European public sphere, or whether public spheres continue to reside in the nation-states? The first activity addressing these questions was a methodological workshop, which took place in December 2000. In December 2001, a conference will take place on European public spheres and their impact on collective identities.
4. Finally, emphasis is laid on how the Eastern enlargement of the European Union will influence the European, national and social identities as well as the inter-European perceptions and discourses. In April 2000, a workshop took place that investigated the role of Eastern enlargement in changing European boundary constructions and the relationship between these and national identities, citizenship institutions and ethnic minorities. Thereby, it adopted an Eastern-Western European comparative perspective. An edited volume will result from this workshop: 'Europeanization, National Identities and Migration, changes in boundary constructions in Western and Eastern Europe'. The first part addresses theoretical approaches and comparative perspectives, the second one explores the Europeanization of collective national identities while the last part deals with Europeanization, national identities and migration.
A conference that will take place in autumn 2001 will more in particular address the question how social transformation as a result of enlargement affects collective identities in both Eastern and Western Europe.
Taken together, these four research areas offer rich insights in both the methodological and empirical aspects of the interaction between Europeanization and identity change. Perhaps the most striking feature of the work completed so far is the extent to which a multidisciplinary approach has proved fruitful. The research activities will result in at least three high-quality edited volumes covering the different foci of the theme addressed.
Moreover, IDnet seeks to enhance the understanding of both academics and practitioners of the complex and dynamic relationship between institutions and identity change. Thereby, it aims to contribute to more conscious policy-making and a more legitimate European polity. To this effect, a number of policy papers will be produced and the project will be concluded by an international outreach conference in late autumn 2001, in which the theoretical lessons drawn from the project will be discussed and evaluated and put into the framework of actual policy-making.
Finally, the project foresees in the development of a database on research activities on Europeanization and changes in collective identities. Currently containing 830 entries, the database offers a rich and user friendly overview of the state of the art. A potential search can be executed on theoretical approach, methodology and region. The database will be placed on the homepage of the EUI and is expected to be operational from April 2001 onwards. For an updated overview on these and other matters concerning IDnet, you can refer to the website of the project.