歐盟雖已具備類國家的特性,歐盟公民發展出非排他性的多重政治認同,並成為歐洲統合進程中的關鍵因素。自2000年起,許多學者紛紛撰文探討歐洲身分認同內涵及現象。本文嘗試以建構主義若干論點為基礎,探討歐洲身分認同之建構,如歐洲認同形成之長期因素、象徵及圖騰、制度及機制所創造的機會,及歐洲認同的重要變項,如歐洲公民權、政策歐盟化現象、歐元效應。然後分析內在「我群」認同及外在「他者」的認同催化,最後在結論嘗試釐清建構歐洲身分需面對的主客觀挑戰,如精英主導的交易式認同、「群體認知」的擴散有限、公共議論空間成長有限、成為我群的中東歐增加異質性,以了解正在形塑卻隱含多重不確定因素之歐洲認同問題。
This paper seeks to apply Social Constructivism to the European identity in process of European peoples, or precisely of the citizens of the EU. Some determinants of European collective identity-building will be examined, such as: ideas and discourses, norms and policy (European citizenship, Europeanization, Euro), the formation and difference of the Self intra-EU and the impact of the Others extra-EU on the European identity building. Finally, the author draws four points of the conclusion about the challenges of developping European identity: Elitist and pecuniary identity, limited entitativity among peoples, limited European public debate spheres and the heterogeneity and different perceptions of the enlarged EU.