From European Identity to a Social Europe? An Empirical Evaluation of European Identity and Public Support of European Social Policy

This book examines European identity in 23 European countries by means of Eurobarometer 62 (2004). It is argued that research done so far has neglected the question whether identity is a reliable source of normative action. The theoretical section applies the Social Identity Theory to disentangle normative and interest motivated sources of action. The empirical sections tests the normative impact of European identity on expressed support for European social policy. The findings foster concerns about identity: Although support for a sustainable identity is found, only a small group expresses a normative attachment to Europe. The remaining fraction of normative identity further decreases when the interfering national identity is excluded. It is concluded that European identity is far away from being a source to legitimize integration.