What Conclusion Can Be Drawn from This Study? A Results-Oriented Synopsis

Abstract

About a decade ago, when I set out to explore the implications of post-Maastricht integration policies on transnational identity formation in Europe, I assumed that the key policies analyzed in this work had a profound impact on the citizenry in a neofunctional manner in that harmonization and the ensuing “identity spillover” would eventually lead to greater identity convergence. Empirical evidence, however, convinced me otherwise, and many political constellations in the EU as well as in global politics have drastically altered the picture: a new sobriety about the future of the bloc has taken place following the foreign policy disagreements over the handling of the Iraq crisis, the rejection of the EU constitution, and, more recently, the economic and financial woes exposing rifts among EU member states. The long-awaited ratification of the Lisbon Treaty and the resulting policy changes are signs of a recovery of the region, but at this point it is too early to tell how these latest developments will affect transnational identity formation. The following synopses of the empirical analyses focus on the period 1993 to 2005 and display a different stage in EU integration history with regard to public opinion and discourse, yet they foreshadow some of the later-appearing challenges. National preferences and constraints are clearly recognizable, and it is hoped that lessons can be learned from the post-Maastricht repercussions in the national public spheres.