NEW MEDIA AS A CATALYST OF EUROPEAN IDENTITY

Abstract

The European Union continuously endeavors to submit to an integrative framework which support the formation of a European spirit and identity. Among the accelerating factors, new media stands for a catalyst of European integration, online networks supporting the users to share opinions, experiences, information, etc. The interactivity provided by new media allow Europeans to learn more about each other and to discover similar or subsidiary objectives. Here, the paper aims to investigate the role of new media in the reconfiguration of social relationships which encompass a shared identity. To this end, several in-depth interviews were conducted with active users who are anchored in online European debates. As the findings showed, new media facilitate people’s engagement in virtual relations and supports the creation of social groups with similar values and standpoints on the European constructs.

Keywords

• new media
• European identity
• citizenship
• public sphere