Forming of European Identity Within Framework of National Culture Policy
One of the most important contemporary and circulating discourses of the forming of common policy, economics and transnational connections in European Union is European identity as a very important basic formation for the future development.
Beyond the existing icons of Europeanisation, there is a circulating idea on the need of consciousness of European identity which is being systematically sponsored by the Administration of the European Union. A European identity is necessary for the European Union to avoid "fragmentation, chaos and conflict" of every kind (military , social, economic and political) and to help achieve cohesion, solidarity, subsidiarity, concertation and cooperation. Almost all potential sources of a European identity are welcome: political and ideological beliefs, economic theory, culture, history, geography, ethnic common destiny, etc. That’s why European identity is often called a Culture Caravan. With it’s advantages and also disadvantages, with coexistence of bigger and smaller nations and ethnical groups.
Now when we are speaking about a common, unique European identity, EU policy can not forget to ask a question whether national identities can be supplemented or transformed. We can’t forget that European identity must be seen in relation to entrenched national identities. Does a European identity have to supplant the national ones? Can it supplement or transform these? How much of a transformation is necessary? Will a European identity be a novel, post-national type of identity? Where in the common system stands such a small nation as Latvia?
Historically speaking, nation building has been marked by struggle, by people actively seeking recognition for their particular culture, history, language, and identity. Western metaphysics has always naturally furnished European consciousness with the concepts and the conceptuality of European identity but also with principles of space and time, in other words, with the basic principles of
Beyond the existing icons of Europeanisation, there is a circulating idea on the need of consciousness of European identity which is being systematically sponsored by the Administration of the European Union. A European identity is necessary for the European Union to avoid "fragmentation, chaos and conflict" of every kind (military , social, economic and political) and to help achieve cohesion, solidarity, subsidiarity, concertation and cooperation. Almost all potential sources of a European identity are welcome: political and ideological beliefs, economic theory, culture, history, geography, ethnic common destiny, etc. That’s why European identity is often called a Culture Caravan. With it’s advantages and also disadvantages, with coexistence of bigger and smaller nations and ethnical groups.
Now when we are speaking about a common, unique European identity, EU policy can not forget to ask a question whether national identities can be supplemented or transformed. We can’t forget that European identity must be seen in relation to entrenched national identities. Does a European identity have to supplant the national ones? Can it supplement or transform these? How much of a transformation is necessary? Will a European identity be a novel, post-national type of identity? Where in the common system stands such a small nation as Latvia?
Historically speaking, nation building has been marked by struggle, by people actively seeking recognition for their particular culture, history, language, and identity. Western metaphysics has always naturally furnished European consciousness with the concepts and the conceptuality of European identity but also with principles of space and time, in other words, with the basic principles of