Globalization and in particular Europeanization have brought about several significant changes in the anarchical system of nation states. More and more non-state actors are entering the international arena and are influencing political outcomes in ways that were unthinkable a few years ago. Consequently the state has to cope with a rapid dissolution of its powers. The rules of state sovereignty, which went basically unchallenged from the 17thuntil the 20thcentury, are now put under great pressure. Traditional concepts of statehood and state sovereignty -that is, the final right of decision- are called into question. Telecommunication and media have long crossed borders, financial markets are globalized, and non-governmental organizations are influencing political agendas. Viewing states as the single most important actors in an anarchical international system today, as has been done in the field of International Relations by neorealists like Waltz in the 1970s and 1980s2, ignores the changes taking place all around us today. As state sovereignty in Europe is increasingly challenged it is perfectly legitimate to wonder about another phenomenon tightly connected to and almost as old as the nation state itself, that is nationalism. The end of nationalism has often been proclaimed alongside with the rise of globalization, transnational activities, multi-culturalism and cosmopolitan ways of life. In the years following the demise of the Nazi regime and then again after the breakup of the Soviet Union, nationalism was even considered a hazard to be avoided. Later, when the former Yugoslavia started to fall apart, this antinationalist discourse gained vehemence. Already in 1955 Erich Fromm said with regards to nationalism:
This incestuous fixation not only poinsons the relationship of the individual to the stranger, but to the members of his own clan and to himself. The person who has not freed himself from the ties to blood and soil is not yet fully born as a human being…Nationalism is our form of incest [and] insanity…
Table of Contents
I. Introduction: Nation, State, Nationalism, and Identity
I.1 Why Study (German) Post-National Identities?
I.2 State of the Art
II. Theoretical Framework
II.1 Guiding Theoretical and Empirical Conceptions
II.2 Operationalization
III. Method of Analysis
III.1 Interview Technique
III.2 Group Formation
III.3 Interview Surroundings
III.4 Structure of the Interview
III.5 Problems
IV. The Findings - German Post-National Identities
IV.1 Perception of World War II and Awareness of EU-Citizenship
IV.2 How is the EU Pictured?
IV.3 The Emergence of a Constitutional Patriotism
IV.3.1 Cultural Values
IV.3.2 Democratic Values
IV.4 Priority of the Nation
IV.4.1 The EU as ‘Substitute Love’? – Attachment to the EU in Contrast to Germany
IV.4.2 Who may have Decision-Making Power?
V. Conclusion of the First Results
VI. A European Collective Identity
VI.1 We-Feeling
VI.2 What is the EU and what is it not? – In-Groups and Out-Groups
VI.3 A Common Memory
VII. Conclusion
VIII. Bibliography
Annex – The Interviews
Interviews with the Young
Interviews with the Elders
Research Objectives and Themes
This thesis investigates whether the historical experience of World War II and subsequent socio-political developments in Germany have fostered a post-national, European identity, or if they have instead reinforced nationalist and protectionist attitudes among different generations of German citizens.
- Analysis of identity construction in World War II survivors compared to younger generations.
- Examination of the role of political institutions in shaping European collective identity.
- Assessment of the perception of European integration versus national sovereignty.
- Exploration of democratic values, "constitutional patriotism," and the concept of "substitute love" for Europe.
- Qualitative interview-based research on political self-identification and attitudes toward the EU.
Excerpt from the Book
I. Introduction: Nation, State, Nationalism, and Identity
Globalization and in particular Europeanization have brought about several significant changes in the anarchical system of nation states. More and more non-state actors are entering the international arena and are influencing political outcomes in ways that were unthinkable a few years ago. Consequently the state has to cope with a rapid dissolution of its powers. The rules of state sovereignty, which went basically unchallenged from the 17th until the 20th century, are now put under great pressure. Traditional concepts of statehood and state sovereignty –that is, the final right of decision – are called into question. Telecommunication and media have long crossed borders, financial markets are globalized, and non-governmental organizations are influencing political agendas. Viewing states as the single most important actors in an anarchical international system today, as has been done in the field of International Relations by neorealists like Waltz in the 1970s and 1980s, ignores the changes taking place all around us today.
As state sovereignty in Europe is increasingly challenged it is perfectly legitimate to wonder about another phenomenon tightly connected to and almost as old as the nation state itself, that is nationalism. The end of nationalism has often been proclaimed alongside with the rise of globalization, transnational activities, multi-culturalism and cosmopolitan ways of life. In the years following the demise of the Nazi regime and then again after the breakup of the Soviet Union, nationalism was even considered a hazard to be avoided. Later, when the former Yugoslavia started to fall apart, this anti nationalist discourse gained vehemence.
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: Nation, State, Nationalism, and Identity: This chapter contextualizes the study within the broader framework of globalization and fading state sovereignty, introducing the central research questions regarding German identity.
II. Theoretical Framework: This section establishes the deductive approach, utilizing new institutionalism and constructivism to model how institutions shape individual and collective social identities.
III. Method of Analysis: This chapter details the qualitative research design, focusing on focused individual interviews with two distinct age groups to capture diverse perspectives on identity.
IV. The Findings - German Post-National Identities: The findings present a comparative analysis of how different generations perceive WWII, their citizenship in the EU, and their willingness to cede national sovereignty.
V. Conclusion of the First Results: This chapter evaluates the empirical findings against the initial hypotheses, concluding that a post-national identity is indeed developing but manifests differently across age groups.
VI. A European Collective Identity: This section investigates the emergence of a collective "we-feeling," analyzing in-groups, out-groups, and the potential for a shared European memory.
VII. Conclusion: The concluding chapter synthesizes the research, reflecting on the profound structural change in German identity and the legitimacy of German political influence in the European context.
Keywords
Post-national identity, European Union, Nationalism, State sovereignty, Germany, World War II, Constitutional patriotism, Qualitative research, Collective identity, Social identity, European integration, Political culture, Citizenship, New institutionalism, Constructivism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental aim of this work?
The thesis aims to analyze whether German citizens have developed a post-national, European identity in the wake of World War II and European integration, specifically testing differences between WWII survivors and younger generations.
What are the core thematic fields of this research?
The research covers nationhood, state sovereignty, nationalism, European integration, the impact of historical trauma (WWII), and the formation of social and collective identities.
What is the primary research question?
It asks whether the historical experience of World War II facilitated the construction of a post-national, European identity in Germany, or whether post-war circumstances instead helped maintain nationalist tendencies.
Which scientific methods were employed?
The author uses a qualitative approach, conducting focused individual interviews with ten participants split into two age cohorts, analyzed through the lens of constructivist theory and new institutionalism.
What is discussed in the main body of the thesis?
The main body examines perceptions of the EU, the salience of democratic values, the concept of "substitute love," and the willingness to grant decision-making authority to the European level.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Post-national identity, European Union, state sovereignty, national identity, constitutional patriotism, and collective identity.
How do the age groups differ in their perception of the EU?
The research finds that while the elder generation views the EU primarily through the lens of peace and reputation-recovery after WWII, the younger generation sees the EU as a contemporary political reality and a platform for active, influential cooperation.
What is the significance of the "marble cake model" in this study?
It refers to a form of identity where different layers—local, national, and European—are intertwined, suggesting that German identity is no longer neatly separated by hierarchical importance, especially for the younger generation.
- Quote paper
- Tonia Fondermann (Author), 2006, National, Post-National and European Identities in Germany, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/63746
