engleski

‘Constructing the EU ideology’

In this paper it is argued that a number of scholars and European politicians are attempting to create a path towards a European society by constructing a common EU ideology. Lipset concluded that countries such as the United States or the Soviet Union are defined by ideology, and not, as other countries, by common history. It will be analysed how the EU, an integration that is attaining more federative elements, is being defined by ideology. Defining a society by ideology will put further emphasis on positive and exceptional ideological characteristics of a particular society. Based on an ideological discourse analysis of pro-European scholars and politicians, the paper argues that the EU is primarily defined by ideologies such as social democracy and environmentalism, which are thought to be in the opposition to the American ideology. The emphases on the US-EU differences are the result of the changing relations between the US and the EU, which grew particularly acrimonious at the beginning of the 21st century. In addition, current EU issues such as the austerity measures and the transatlantic trade negotiations challenging this construction of the EU ideology will be presented.

European Union; United States; ideology; identity

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