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Constitutional Identity and the Politics of Homogeneity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 March 2019

Matthias Mahlmann

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The identity of the European Union has, for some years now, been the topic of many debates. The recent enlargement of the Union has stirred this debate and has not appeased it. There are various key topics that inspire the discussion, which included, for example, conceptions of citizenship. The following remarks will offer a sketch of some of the issues that come to the fore in this respect. Of particular interest here are the connections between the process of the constitutionalisation of Europe and the question of the desirability, or even necessity, of a homogenous European identity. I will first name some exemplary concrete problems that are connected with questions of politics of identity. I will then undertake a short illustrative look into the history of ideas to trace back some of the lines of thought that are relevant in the discussion. Finally, I want to suggest a possible normative perspective of how to proceed.

Type
Articles: Special Issue: Confronting Memories – Constitutionalization after Bitter Experiences
Information
German Law Journal , Volume 6 , Issue 2: Article: Special Issue - Confronting Memories: European „Bitter Experiences“ and the Constitutionalization Process , 01 February 2005 , pp. 307 - 317
Copyright
Copyright © 2005 by German Law Journal GbR 

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