Grand challenges: Intercultural Interactions European Identity: How Do We Stand Between Isolationism and Transnational Solidarity? Abbie (Applied Science), Manuela (Classics), Noëmie (History) & Sabina (Architecture)

Research Question How does the Euro, as a supranational currency, construct a sense of European identity? ( )

Context & Approach Context: The outcomes of the recent elections (low turnout, progression of nationalistic parties, increase in Euroscepticism) show the need for a deeper reflection about European identity and the kind of Europe we want in the future. Approach: Currency is more complex than just an economic issue We are setting a socio-cultural approach to currency

European Identity and the Euro - Historically, European identity has been constructed mainly ‘negatively’ [Us vs. Others]. - Euro: more ‘positive’, pro-active construction of identity Further questions: - Does the fact of having the Euro offer a better sense of European identity ? - How do countries which are EU member states but chose to remain outside the Eurozone handle their European identity differently (Swedish case study)? - How has the European identity, in connection to a common currency, evolved over time ( )? - How does the institutional project of the euro as a marker of cohesiveness get adopted at a personal level by Europeans?

Case Studies Slovenia (≈ 2 million) Joined the EU in 2004, adopted the Euro in Sweden (≈ 9.7 million) Joined the EU in 1995, rejected the Euro by popular referendum in 2003 Montenegro (≈ 625,000) Not part of the EU, adopted the Euro in 2003.

Methodologies Literature Review (European identity + Currency as identity generator) 1.Focus Groups 2.Discourse Analysis 3.European Survey via European Commission EuroBarometer

STAGE 1: Focus Groups - Taking place in each of the case-study country - Groups of people with: Nationals eligible to vote in the last national elections; Gender balance; Wide age spectrum - 2 different stages of focus groups: one on European identity, one on currency Objectives: - get a grasp of how people in each country conceive their European identity (or not), how they link it to the use / absence of use of Euro in their country. - identify key markers of European identity for next research stages of the project

STAGE 2: Discourse Analysis - taking place at UCL with teams of colleagues from Scandinavian Studies and the School of Slavonic and East European Studies - online editions of national press (2 main newspapers: broadly, one right-wing leaning, one left-wing leaning) - one key article per month in the time period under consideration ( ), including open comments forum Objectives: - observe potential discrepancy between ‘opinion-makers’ (journalists) and the population - evolution of identity over time (something not possible to achieve in focus groups) - extract key issues to formulate questionnaires for stage 3

STAGE 3: European Survey EuroBarometer: - The Public Opinion Analysis sector of the European Commission - Since 1973: European Commission has been monitoring the evolution of public opinion in the Member States, thus helping the preparation of texts, decision-making and the evaluation of its work - EuroBarometer has access to a wide range of the European population - Has not included Montenegro into surveyed states since Montenegro is not part of the EU = research would improve this lacuna

Gantt Chart

Potential Outputs Research outputs: - publications in relevant academic journals Discussion beyond academia : - symposium (academics who participated in the project, European Commissioners, economists, representatives of lobby groups) - website (open access to publications + videos of the symposium + open forum on European identity) Impact: - offer up-to-date research on the links between the Euro and European identity at a time when both are met with scepticism, and when prospects for further European integration are in crisis.

Thank you ! Manuela Irarrázabal, Greek and Latin Abbie Omolu, Medicine Sabina Andron, Architecture Noëmie Duhaut, Hebrew and Jewish Studies