This book provides an anthropological analysis of the cultural formation, practices and experiences of the first generation of Slovenes working in the institutions of the European Union. On 1 May 2004, Slovenia became a full-fledged member of the European Union and was thus formally incorporated into the processes of European integration redefining the relations among EU member states. European integration processes take place at multiple, interlocking levels — from the level of government bodies to the level of individual social actors. The numerous Slovenes who were successful in attaining the positions available for citizens from new member states now work as Eurocrats at multiple locations across the EU’s institutional network. This work explores European integration from the perspective of Slovene Eurocrats by analyzing how Slovenes plot careers and lives in European terms.To this end, the author examines the experiences of Slovene Eurocrats in Brussels within the broader context of their life experiences and professional formation. As recent EU officials, Slovene Eurocrats provide many insights into European integration as an ongoing social process. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Delo Tatiane Bajuk Senčar Evropska integracija kot kulturna praksa je antropološka analiza kulturnih formacij, praks in izkušenj prve generacije Slovencev, ki delajo v ustanovah Evropske unije. Slovenija je 1. maja 2004 postala njena polnopravna članica in se s tem tudi formalno vključila v procese evropske integracije, ki na novo opredeljujejo razmerja med državami članicami. Procesi integracije potekajo na številnih, med seboj prepletenih ravneh – od ravni vladnih teles do ravni posamičnih družbenih akterjev. Številni Slovenci so se uspešno prijavili za delo v institucijah EU in agencijah, ki se širijo z vsako naslednjo širitvijo EU; zdaj delajo kot evrokrati na različnih lokacijah v institucionalnem omrežju EU. Avtorica raziskuje integracijski proces iz vidika slovenskih evrokratov, pri čemer analizira njihove načrte kariernih poti, samo poklicno socializacijo in življenjske izkušnje, pridobljene v evropskih ustanovah. Raziskava slovenskih evrokratov oziroma evropskih uradnikov nam tako razgrinja številne poglede na nenehni družbeni proces, na evropsko integracijo.

Drawing on a series of EC policy areas that possess a cultural component, this book offers an encompassing and in-depth analysis of the integration of cultural considerations in EC law and action, assessing the impact of Article 151(4) EC in the process.

Cultural Heritage in the European Union provides a critical analysis of the laws and policies which address cultural heritage throughout Europe, considering them in light of the current challenges faced by the Union. The volume examines the matrix of organisational and regulatory frameworks concerned with cultural heritage both in the Union and its Members States, as well as their interaction, cross-fertilisation, and possible overlaps. It brings together experts in their respective fields, including not only legal, but also cultural economists, heritage professionals, government representatives, and historians. The diverse backgrounds of the authors offer a cross-disciplinary approach and a variety of views which allows an in-depth scrutinisation of the latest developments pertaining to cultural heritage in Europe.

This groundbreaking new textbook offers extensive coverage of EU External Action studies, from its major concepts to the key theories in the field. Over the past decades, the European Union has progressively developed into a significant global actor in an increasing number of policy fields. This long-awaited volume looks into different ways of conceptualizing the EU as a global actor, the processes and impact of EU external action, explanations offered by IR and integration theories, the discursive, normative, practice and gender 'turns', and the 'decentring agenda' for EU external action. The book offers a reader-friendly guidance on these various ways in which to study the EU as a global actor: each chapter introduces one concept, approach or theory and illustrates its application by a case study of EU external action. In drawing the different perspectives together, the book underscores that 'EU External Action Studies' is becoming an academic speciality in its own right. Written by leading experts, the volume will make essential reading for students, scholars and practitioners of EU external action. EU External Action Studies nowadays attract attention from scholars and students in International Relations (IR), Foreign Policy Analysis and (interdisciplinary) EU Studies, as well as from practitioners.

Focusing upon the emerging patterns of unity and diversity in the enlarged European Union, this study explores enlargement from the East and the impact this will have on the future identity of Europe.

As the EU continues its integration process, the concepts of culture and transnational European belonging remain ambivalent, whether in the realm of socio-historical representation or mass politics. Engaging with recent scholarly debates surrounding the formation of collective transnational identities, this collection draws on the latest empirical case studies to explore the meaning and composition of European identity, the mechanisms that create and shape it and the question of whom it includes. Each author pays close attention to the cultural aspects of identity formation, whether manifested in official, institutional articulations, such as symbols, coinage, ceremonies and discursive manifestations, or in the cultures of the everyday, such as through new forms of communication networks, consumption or leisure. Exploring attempts by various actors - institutions, groups, individuals - to create transnational European identities, European Identity and Culture scrutinizes the cultural formations that have either reignited or emerged in often contradictory relations to the EU project, including local, regional and transnational allegiances. A rich, interdisciplinary investigation of the role of culture in the formation of European identity, whether as a central building block to unity or as a formidable obstacle to a common sense of purpose, this book will be of interest to scholars across the social sciences and humanities working on questions of political culture, European integration, citizenship and (trans-) national identity.

A highly topical examination of the effect of European integration on relations between states and minority nations. This new collection brings together the leading specialists in the field, and covers a wide range of cases, from Northern Ireland in the West, to Estonia and Latvia in the East, and Cyprus in the South-East. The contributors assess how European integration has affected the preparedness of states to accommodate minorities across a range of fundamental criteria, including: enhanced rights protection; autonomy; the provision of a voice for minorities in the European and international arena; and the promotion of cross-border cooperation among communities dissected by state frontiers. The comprehensive chapters stress the importance of the nationality question, and the fact that, contrary to the hopes and beliefs of many on the left and right, it is not going to go away. Beginning with an introductory essay that summarizes the impact of European integration on the nationalities question, this accessible book will be of strong interest to scholars and researchers of politics, nationalism, ethnic conflict and European studies.

Overthrowing communism in 1989 and joining the European Union in 2004, the Polish people hold loyalties to region, country and now continent – even as the definition of what it means to be ‘European’ remains unclear. Paying particular attention to those who came of age in the earliest years of the neoliberal and democratic transformations, this book uses the life-story narratives of rural and urban southern Poles to reveal how ‘being European’ is considered a fundamental component of ‘being Polish’ while participants are simultaneously ‘becoming European’. Ultimately, this study demonstrates how the EU is regarded as both an idea and an instrument, and how ordinary citizens make choices that influence the shape of European identity and the legitimacy of its institutions.

Published in 1998, Education and training in the European Union is a policy area aiming to enable young people to experience the ‘reality of Europe’ through various forms of cooperation, including training periods in firms in other member states, university courses in the Community countries and exchanges. This book examines why the Community decided to take actions in the field of education and training, what the extent of this involvement is, and how the future may affect EU decisions on education and training. It argues that the logic of the EU involvement in education and training derives from both economic and political considerations; that the extent of this involvement has not so far been very significant but is growing; and that the pace of political integration will ultimately condition the Community’s competence in the field of education and training.

In this revealing study, Cris Shore scrutinises the process of European integration using the techniques of anthropology, and drawing on thought from across the social sciences.