Description
A fundamental, indeed foundational question facing the European Union from its very beginning, is exactly what makes it a union. What is Europe and what does it stand for? Is the European Union first and foremost a legal and political organization which mainly serves practical (economic and other) purposes for its member states, such as creating and protecting a common market and promoting peace and security? Or is it something more – a “community of values”, as some claim? In the latter case, what are the values that the member states are supposed to share?In the construction of a European identity, symbols and narratives play a crucial role. They constitute what Ricœur (1986) calls an ‘ideology’, that is a common set of images, norms and values. In his view, an ideology contributes to social cohesion by fulfilling two functions: to begin with, it provides an identity which satisfies the interests of the collective and, subsequently, it legitimizes the exercise of power by its institutions. The European Union lacks a generally shared unifying narrative that binds its constituent parts – citizens, institutions and member states – together. This has a negative impact on the social cohesion within the EU as well as on the authority (and, consequently, the efficacy) of its central legal and political institutions. The much debated ‘democracy deficit’ is but one of the symptoms of the EU’s persisting legitimacy crisis (see, e.g., Murray and Longo 2014).
According to Fornäs (2020), in symbols and narratives of Europe three dominant tropes can be discerned: supreme universality, resurrection from division and communicative mobility. First, supreme universality expresses the idea that “Europe is somehow chosen for a particularly important mission and challenge, in some way elevated above the other continents” (Fornäs 2020, p. 93; original italics). Second, resurrection from division indicates that Europe, after centuries of war and destruction, marks a new beginning as a unified whole. Communicative mobility, finally, stresses the values of communication and mobility: Europe is the locus where citizens can move around freely and exchange ideas with each other. Together these tropes, contribute to Europe’s ideology and self-image as a dynamic, morally superior, peaceful and freedom-loving collective.
In my paper, I will discuss two contemporary novels on Europe that challenge the current ideology expressed in these tropes: Grand Hotel Europa by the Dutch writer Ilya Leonard Pfeiffer and Cartography of Freedom by the Ukrainian writer Andrej Kurkow . These big novels – ‘big’ not only in seize but also in intellectual ambition and scope – offer, each in their own way, an important counter-narrative against mainstream narratives around which Europe’s identity is being construed. In his novel, Pfeiffer shows that Europa is so focused on its past that there is hardly any room for the future. It is drowning in nostalgia and, through tourism, it exploits its glorious past for commercial reasons. With its tradition of taming and manipulating nature, Europe may be said to be responsible for the present climate crisis. At the same, it is one of the few places on earth where the protection of nature is taken seriously. Kurkow is also mixed in his appreciation of the European project. On the one hand, he acknowledges that the unification of Europe has granted citizens freedom and opportunities to develop. On the other hand, he questions whether Europe can fulfil its promise of freedom. Can there really be a ‘Europe for all’ and a ‘Europe without borders’? Following the adventures of two young couples that moved from Eastern Europe (Lithuania) to Western Europe (UK and France), he demonstrates that the European Union, instead of providing unity and freedom for all, creates a division between ‘old’ and privileged Europeans and ‘new’ Europeans with less opportunities. Moreover, in line with conservative thinkers like Andrej Stasiuk, Kurkow warns that too much integration and internationalization may lead to a less stable European identity.
My central questions are: how do the two novels challenge the dominant tropes within legal and political discourse on Europe and what lessons do they provide for the EU’s symbolic identity?
| Period | 30 Sept 2023 |
|---|---|
| Event title | EU as a community of values : Identity, Belonging and Democracy |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | CracowShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | International |