Citizenship, nationalism and the European Union

Abstract:

The meaning of European citizenship remains vague, but at least one of the challenges that it is thought to face it is the lack of a common European identity. This article considers the concept of citizenship and the needs that it was hoped European citizenship would meet. It investigates the invocation of nationalist thought to give force and meaning to European citizenship. The article argues that traces of nationalist thinking can be detected in the work of writers on the topic, in particular Joseph Weiler, and, more modestly, in the Community's cultural policies. It is contended that the invocation of such an ideology is a mistake, and runs contrary to the aspirations of Article 17.