Institutions and Culture: The Story of the EU and the Fate of Europe's Integration Project
South-East Europe Review, Vol. 2, pp. 131-142, 2013
University of Prishtina Faculty of Law Research Paper No. 15-3
12 Pages Posted: 12 Nov 2013
Date Written: November 11, 2013
Abstract
‘The great European dream was to diminish militant nationalism’ (Antony Beevor). The future remains open, and some degree of nationalism may be constantly present, but one thing can be expressed with confidence: the European Union has successfully averted conflict within the ‘club’ and has been a clearly powerful incentive for reconciliation between former enemies as well as bringing democracy in countries formerly ruled by dictatorships. The present crisis apart, the European project remains incomparable. Indeed, this presents an inescapable imperative to any notion of resistance towards the completion of the European integration project. This article focuses on the integration project of the Old Continent’s south-eastern corner; more specifically, it concerns how a culture-based or incited-conflict can shape a specific cultural setting and, in return, how that culture can be transformed into one of co-operation. The inquiry is placed in the context of the relationship with, and impact of, the EU, which can serve both as example and promoter of such a culture.
Keywords: cross-cultural communication, EU, economic activity, public debt, labour markets, social welfare, competitiveness, training programmes, income inequality, corruption, rule of law, organized crime, reconciliation, co-operation, stability
JEL Classification: D60, D63, J6, J40, K42
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation