Book Description

This book reveals the discursive construction of both European identity and European citizenship. It explores these concepts from a philosophical perspective. The author tries to answer the question whether European identity and European citizenship represent modernist or postmodernist categories. The modern liberal idea of citizenship is derived from the fixed notion of identity, which includes a number of binary oppositions, such as: we/they, citizen/foreigner, self/other and so forth (where the first term is perceived as dominant because it is considered to be derived from reason) which leaves room for excluding and marginalizing. The postmodern concept of citizenship stems from a critique of essentialist and universalist conceptions of identity. The author will present modern and postmodern concepts of identity and analyze European citizenship and identity, relying on European treaties and various other documents. The author will employ the hermeneutic method in her analysis. This book also deals with various contemporary challenges to EU citizenship and identity, such as Brexit, migration crisis in Europe, the proliferation of nationalist discourses and so forth.What is the main benefit of reading the book?a) Building the still not well-established literature in the field of philosophical analysis of European citizenship. Filling the gaps in the existing research literature. Dealing with issues which are not sufficiently explored yet, such as Brexit and Europe¿s migration crisis.b) The study is structured to take into account complex philosophical, legal, political and theoretical background. c) Assuring comparable and valid data, which will be perceived as dynamic, not static. This involves close textual analysis of documents. d) This study is aimed at graduate and postgraduate students. It also aims at providing a baseline and set of reference points for researchers/practitioners in the field of European studies designing complex projects looking at EU citizenship.