Abstract
The fundamental question is: does a European identity exist? In it a pan-region with many states, nationalities, languages, religious affiliations and diverse historical experiences? Identity is considerd as a consciousness of belonging, a common space and a common history. The building a European identity is based on cooperation and solidarity. Historical memory full of war conflicts changed the character of strategic culture based on the eradication of hard power tools. The European integration found expression in civil power based on economic performance, market size and guaranteeing rights to every subject. But it turns out that Europe’s role as a civil power is not enough in times of heightened conflicts, it must be complemented by normative power. Normative power is the ability to define standards and norms as universal, and shared responsibility.. The concept of European identity is a cultural construct based on a value framework corresponding to the parameters of civil power. But this seems to be a one-sided development, Europe needs to be not only a normative power, but also a smart power as an optimal combination of soft and hard power approaches. The interweaving of individual levels of international influence in an ambiguous and uncertain environment leads to a shift in the perception of European identity from a purely civil value-based one towards an identity based on shared responsibility for one’s own security. In the current ambiguous and uncertain international political and security situation, the concept of European identity can help defend the value system and contribute to security.
Presenters
Irah KučerováSenior Lecturer, Department of International Relations, Charles University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Praha, hlavní mesto, Czech Republic
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Post-war Euroepan Identity, Civil, Normative, Smart Power, Strategic Culture
