Globalization and in particular Europeanization have brought about several significant changes in the anarchical system of nation states. More and more non-state actors are entering the international arena and are influencing political outcomes in ways that were unthinkable a few years ago. Consequently the state has to cope with a rapid dissolution of its powers. The rules of state sovereignty, which went basically unchallenged from the 17thuntil the 20thcentury, are now put under great pressure. Traditional concepts of statehood and state sovereignty -that is, the final right of decision- are called into question. Telecommunication and media have long crossed borders, financial markets are globalized, and non-governmental organizations are influencing political agendas. Viewing states as the single most important actors in an anarchical international system today, as has been done in the field of International Relations by neorealists like Waltz in the 1970s and 1980s2, ignores the changes taking place all around us today. As state sovereignty in Europe is increasingly challenged it is perfectly legitimate to wonder about another phenomenon tightly connected to and almost as old as the nation state itself, that is nationalism. The end of nationalism has often been proclaimed alongside with the rise of globalization, transnational activities, multi-culturalism and cosmopolitan ways of life. In the years following the demise of the Nazi regime and then again after the breakup of the Soviet Union, nationalism was even considered a hazard to be avoided. Later, when the former Yugoslavia started to fall apart, this antinationalist discourse gained vehemence. Already in 1955 Erich Fromm said with regards to nationalism:
This incestuous fixation not only poinsons the relationship of the individual to the stranger, but to the members of his own clan and to himself. The person who has not freed himself from the ties to blood and soil is not yet fully born as a human being…Nationalism is our form of incest [and] insanity…
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- I. Introduction: Nation, State, Nationalism, and Identity
- I.1 Why Study (German) Post-National Identities?
- I.2 State of the Art
- II. Theoretical Framework
- II.1 Guiding Theoretical and Empirical Conceptions
- II.2 Operationalization
- III. Method of Analysis
- III.1 Interview Technique
- III.2 Group Formation
- III.3 Interview Surroundings
- III.4 Structure of the Interview
- III.5 Problems
- IV. The Findings - German Post-National Identities
- IV.1 Perception of World War II and Awareness of EU-Citizenship
- IV.2 How is the EU Pictured?
- IV.3 The Emergence of a Constitutional Patriotism
- IV.3.1 Cultural Values
- IV.3.2 Democratic Values
- IV.4 Priority of the Nation
- IV.4.1 The EU as 'Substitute Love'? - Attachment to the EU in Contrast to Germany
- IV.4.2 Who may have Decision-Making Power?
- V. Conclusion of the First Results
- VI. A European Collective Identity
- VI.1 We-Feeling
- VI.2 What is the EU and what is it not? – In-Groups and Out-Groups
- VI.3 A Common Memory
- VII. Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This work aims to examine the evolving concept of identity in Germany within the context of European integration. It explores how the process of Europeanization has challenged traditional notions of national identity and fostered new forms of post-national identity.
- The erosion of national sovereignty in Europe due to globalization and European integration.
- The emergence and characteristics of post-national identities in Germany.
- The relationship between national and European identities in the German context.
- The potential for a shared European identity and its implications.
- The role of historical events, such as World War II, in shaping contemporary German identity.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The Introduction provides a theoretical framework for understanding the relationship between nation, state, nationalism, and identity. It explores the historical evolution of national identities and the challenges posed by globalization and European integration.
The Theoretical Framework chapter delves into the conceptual and empirical underpinnings of the research, outlining the theoretical and methodological approaches employed in the study.
The Method of Analysis chapter describes the research methodology, focusing on the interview technique, group formation, interview setting, structure, and potential challenges.
The Findings chapter presents the results of the study, exploring the perceptions of German citizens regarding World War II, European Union citizenship, and the emergence of a post-national consciousness.
The Conclusion of the First Results chapter summarizes the key findings from the research, highlighting the relationship between national identity and European integration.
A European Collective Identity chapter analyzes the potential for a shared European identity, examining the factors contributing to a sense of "we-feeling" among Europeans.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The key themes of the work include post-national identity, European integration, national sovereignty, German identity, European identity, constitutional patriotism, and globalization. These themes are explored through the lens of historical analysis, sociological research, and interviews with German citizens.
- Citation du texte
- Tonia Fondermann (Auteur), 2006, National, Post-National and European Identities in Germany, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/63746
