engleski

Yugoslavs and Europeans compared: Supranational polities and supranational identification

Popular support for supranational polities and the resilience of these polities could be, among other measures, discerned from the number of individuals who identify themselves primarily with the respective supranational identity. For instance, American identity as primary identity has been highly accepted among whites, as well as among racial minorities (Schildkraut, 2010). Compared to the US, socialist Yugoslavia and the EU had low levels of primary identification with their supranational polities. However, despite both the EU and socialist Yugoslavia not enforcing exclusive supranational identity, they nonetheless developed comparable and non-negligible levels of exclusive supranational identification. Drawing on Sekulić, Massey & Hodson (1994) seminal article ‘Who were the Yugoslavs?’ we compare the share and determinants of identifying as Yugoslav citizens during socialism with the panorama of primary European identification. Eurobarometer surveys containing data on European identity are utilized to that end. The analysis places special emphasis on social and political contexts that shaped supranational identification in particular Yugoslav socialist republics and EU member states. National-level differences must be taken into account due to differing shares of primary Yugoslav or European identification. The share of exclusive European identity in some EU member states (Luxembourg, Belgium, but also Italy) even surpassed Yugoslav socialist republics with the highest share of Yugoslavs. We conclude with the implications of supranational identification for the future of the EU from a comparative perspective.

Eastern Europe ; European Union and Integration ; Identity and Ethnicity

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