A1 Journal article (refereed)
Struggle and banality of belonging to Europe : Cultural Europeanization from the perspective of the Central and East European citizens (2024)

Mäkinen, K., & Kaasik-Krogerus, S. (2024). Struggle and banality of belonging to Europe : Cultural Europeanization from the perspective of the Central and East European citizens. Journal of Contemporary European Studies, 32(2), 321-333. https://doi.org/10.1080/14782804.2023.2207000

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Mäkinen, Katja; Kaasik-Krogerus, Sigrid

Journal or series: Journal of Contemporary European Studies

ISSN: 1478-2804

eISSN: 1478-2790

Publication year: 2024

Publication date: 28/04/2023

Volume: 32

Issue number: 2

Pages range: 321-333

Publisher: Routledge

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14782804.2023.2207000

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/86844

Abstract

The European Union (EU) has developed cultural policy initiatives that seek to promote cultural Europeanization with the purpose of constructing European identity narratives and facilitating citizens’ sense of belonging to Europe and the EU. The article focuses on the citizens’ perspective to cultural Europeanization through ethnographic research on one central action in the EU cultural policy, European Heritage Label (EHL). We analyse the interviews conducted in selected EHL sites with Central and East European (CEE) citizens who were visiting the sites as well as with cultural heritage practitioners working at three EHL sites located in CEE countries. We ask how the practitioners and the visitors engage with European identity narratives and elaborate their European belonging. We especially scrutinize how everyday encounters and experiences, such as mobility, shape identifications with ‘Europe’ and perceptions of what is ‘European’. The interviews are interpreted in the theoretical framework of ‘being’ and ‘becoming’ European. This framework indicates a centuries-long liminal position of the Central and Eastern Europe. It enables us to scrutinize CEE citizens’ sense of belonging to Europe in an intersection of dual Europeanization, i.e. cultural Europeanization and ‘Europeanization’ of the CEE countries to overcome this liminal position and become ‘true’ Europeans.

Keywords: European identity; Europeanisation; identity (mental objects); cultural heritage; EU policy; cultural policy; ethnography

Free keywords: Europeanization; belonging; identity; ethnography; cultural heritage

Contributing organizations

Related projects

Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2023

JUFO rating: 1