The evolution of European political identity as a social construct of the EU

The paper deals with the concept of political identity in general and the European idea in particular. The author examines the notion of identity and investigates the evolution of the various aspects of identity in the European Union using Eurobarometer surveys. The research analyzes the theoretical base for identity explaining material and ideational components of the notion which are the key to create the positive identity. Besides, the author presents the evolving ideas about identity in the EU by means of Eurobarometer statistics collected in 2003-2017. The research considers the European society, the opinions of European Union citizens based on the Eurobarometer data. The scope of the study is represented by the supranational European political identity as a social construct of the EU and the mechanisms of its creation. The paper demonstrates how different aspects of identity can lead to integrative and disintegrative processes. The statistical and comparative analysis of the evolution of identity in the EU is applied as a part of a constructive approach to the concept of identity. A formula of sustainable identity is the main research result. It is applied to analyze the European idea according to the EU Public Opinion Surveys. The author concludes that modern European society strives for the material aspect of identity and avoids the ideational one.