The (conceptions of) European identity of pupils in the border region of Rhineland-Palatinate

Saskia Langer

doi:10.5771/2566-7742-2023-1-96

Contents
- Chapter Expand | CollapseAuthorsPage
- Titelei/Inhaltsverzeichnis
- 1–5 The European Integration – limits and borders. Introduction to the special issue Stefan Immerfall, Vincent Gengnagel Stefan Immerfall, Vincent Gengnagel 1–5
- 6–151 Articles 6–151
  - 6–25 Equal treatment in the single market? Labour market opportunities for migrants with a European and a non-European background Martin Heidenreich Martin Heidenreich 6–25
  - 26–49 Running low on state-capacity: strengthening EU mobile workers’ rights by outsourcing enforcement? The role of advisory services in Germany Josephine Assmus Josephine Assmus 26–49
  - 50–73 German capitalism and migrant work in meat. How COVID allowed to break the path-dependent labour exploitation Susanne K. Schmidt, Michael Blauberger Susanne K. Schmidt, Michael Blauberger 50–73
  - 74–95 European Border and Coast Guard standing corps. The establishment of a European border police Isabel Hilpert Isabel Hilpert 74–95
  - 96–112 The (conceptions of) European identity of pupils in the border region of Rhineland-Palatinate Saskia Langer Saskia Langer 96–112
  - 113–126 Blind man’s buff: Losing contact while coping with the arrival situation Léa Bendele Léa Bendele 113–126
  - 127–151 The European Green Deal, its narrative of green politics for the next generation and the EU’s search for a stable telos Johannes Gerken Johannes Gerken 127–151
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Culture, Practice & Europeanization , page 96 - 112

The (conceptions of) European identity of pupils in the border region of Rhineland-Palatinate

Autoren

Saskia Langer

DOI
- doi.org/10.5771/2566-7742-2023-1-96
- ISSN online: 2566-7742
Abstract

Do you identify with Europe, and if so, why? 248 lower secondary school students answered this question in a survey conducted in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The area is part of the so-called Greater Region, which is a cross-border region between Germany, France, Luxemburg and Belgium with the possibility of a transnational everyday-life. The aim of the article is to give space to the pupils’ perspectives on their felt identity as well as to reflect on the importance of the border region for their justification of identifying with Europe. The justifications of the students offer a new perspective: the patterns of reasoning not only indicate different reasons for identity, but also a variety of conceptions of Europe, and refer to different levels and dimensions of social identity. While no correlation between proximity to the border and their identification with Europe could be found, individual practices, such as crossing the border freely, were students’ preferred justification for European identity. Because the students were capable of independently arguing their position on European identity, this article suggests to treat European identity as a topic in school giving students the opportunity to reflect on the contested nature of Europe and European identity in class.
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