Identities, Democracy, Borders
Identities, Democracy, Borders

Summary/Abstract: Within Europe, an area of relatively indeterminate contours, attempts at reconciliation and integration have yielded tangible results in political, economic, social and cultural matters. The objectives of this were widely accepted: to ensure lasting peace, economic growth and global security, as well as the freedom to act, to create and to think. Yet for some this integration has been too rapid, especially towards the east, and this has created a new East/West differentiation, in addition to the older North/South divide. This way of viewing the phenomenon, however, is diminishing in importance, as it largely ignores internal disparities within most national territories. After a relative consensus of hope and confidence in the future, the European arena can be nowadays described as dominated by fears, by disappointments, and in particular by distrust towards national governments in a context of crisis and human drama, widely publicized through the media. This context can be seen as both the trigger and the manifestation of these fears and threats.

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