Pathways to European identity formation: A tale of two models
Abstract
This article argues that there are two distinct logics that underlie existing studies on
European identification. These are grounded in models of collective identity formation
that stress either messages inscribed in discursive processes or practices situated in
socio-spatial relations – respectively, the “culturalist” and the “structuralist” models.
The first of these models considers identification as a direct outcome of the exposure to
content-specific symbols, narratives, and messages; the second, as an emerging
property of socio-spatial interactions that are content-free of identity references. The
first is logocentric, while the second is democentric and topocentric. This article
focuses particularly on the second and less-developed research tradition which
explores the effects of cross-national practices. The limits and potential of this model
are discussed, setting an agenda for empirical research aiming to better elucidate the
causal dynamics of European identity formation and adjudicate between these
competing explanations.