Generation Y: between a civic and a cultural European identity
Generation Y: between a civic and a cultural European identity

Summary/Abstract: The concept of European identity is not yet clearly defined, as there is little agreement on what constitutes it. Hence, the purpose of this article is to explore how Generation Y members perceive themselves as Europeans through user generated videos on the subject of European citizenship. The focus on Generation Y is motivated by the fact that its members have not experienced a divided Europe, but a unified one right from the beginning. We conducted a content analysis focused on discovering how young people use the civic and the cultural dimensions of European identity (Bruter, 2004) in order to construct their notion of Europeanness. The paper argues that Generation Y members employ both civic and cultural aspects, although their self-portrayals emphasize the utilitarian approach.

• Details
• Contents