A Union of Diversity
Language, Identity and Polity-Building in Europe

Assesses the implications of cultural diversity for the process of constructing a European polity.

Peter A. Kraus (Author)

9780521676724, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 10 March 2008

248 pages, 4 tables
22.7 x 15.4 x 1.4 cm, 0.34 kg

'… will be of interest not only to scholars interested in the politics of language, but also to students of both European integration and democratic theory … an innovative and thought-provoking book, successfully bringing the theoretical discussion of the relationship between language and democracy into the ambit of European integration studies.' Political Studies Review

The European Union's motto 'United in Diversity' contrasts with the cultural standardization entailed in the formation of nation-states and the forging of political identities in Europe. So what does being 'united in diversity' mean? Focusing on language politics and policies, this book offers a thorough assessment of the implications of cultural and linguistic diversity for the process of constructing a European polity. It sheds light on some of the most pressing problems associated with contemporary identity politics. It is often claimed that the recurrent celebration of diversity in Europe's programmatic declarations has an effective political impact. Kraus offers a critical analysis of how the EU has responded to the normative challenge of creating an institutional frame for integration which allows cultural differences to be transcended without ignoring them.

Preface
1. Introduction: the dynamics of European integration
2. The European Union's democratic deficit and the search for a European demos
3. The identity of a multinational polity
4. Language and politics: a challenge for Europe
5. The language question in the institutional complex of the European Union
6. Political communication in the transnational civil society
7. Recognition, self-determination and integration in a union of diversity.

Subject Areas: EU & European institutions [JPSN2], Politics & government [JP], Sociology [JHB], Sociolinguistics [CFB]