Культура и национальное самосознание Европы. Практикум на английском языке

UNESCO portal. Legal documents (declarations, conventions, recommendations concerning cultural diversity and culture heritage.

4.UNESCO Reflections on Cultural Diversity – Presents information on meetings, colloquia, research projects and publications on cultural diversity undertaken or supported by UNESCO.

5.UNESCO and its Work on Cultural Diversity – Presentation of UNESCO's strategy and review of activities from 1946–2003.

6.What is UNESCO doing to promote Cultural Diversity? – A review of actions taken by UNESCO in different areas to promote cultural diversity such as the media, education, arts and language.

7.European Agenda for Culture in a Globalising World – European Commission's new strategy for culture was published in May 2007. It identifies cultural diversity among its main priorities; the others being intercultural dialogue, creativity and innovation and culture as a key element of the EU's external relations activities. The strategy proposes the creation on an EU-ACP Cultural Fund to support the distribution of cultural goods from ACP countries. This site also provides a link to the EC's consultations which fed into the development of its agenda.

8. International Network for Cultural Diversity (INCD) – The INCD is a worldwide network of artists and cultural groups dedicated to countering the homogenizing effects of globalization on culture.

9. International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity (IFCCD) – Established in September 2007, the IFCCD brings together over 40 national coalitions from around the world, representing more than 600 professional cultural organisations.

PRACTICAL # 8. “Unity in diversity”: Cultural commonality of European nations and cultural pluralism of the continent

Objective: to develop the ability to apply knowledge gained from Humanities, Social Studies and Economics in carrying out expert and analytical work on cultural diversity issues.

Organizational structure of the class: dialogue format

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Topics for discussion

1.The dynamics and challenges of Europeanization.

2.Common European cultural heritage: definitions and components.

3.Language as a ‘marker’ for identity. Status of languages in EU Member states.

4.English as a lingua franca.

Learning strategies

The aim of the practical is to examine the role of cultural heritage as a vehicle of European identity shaping. As the old forces of integration – desire for peace, external threats, and economic growth – are losing their effectiveness, the role of Europe’s common culture – the spiritual factor of European integration –inevitably grows in importance as a source of unity and cohesion. That defines the significance of the theme in the course. At the same time the meaning of common European culture needs to be better understood. On the one hand, there is no doubt that there exists a common European cultural space: a variety of traditions, ideals, and aspirations. These traditions, ideals, and aspirations bring people together in a shared context and make them "Europeans". On the other hand, common European culture is inevitably confronted by a variety of diverging national, regional, ethnic, sectarian, and social understandings. So the question arises: is cultural “unity in diversity” a feasible project?

As an introduction to the discussion, it is necessary to trace the dynamics and challenges of Europeanization (question #1). In other words, the task is to review the highlights of European identity building process from the adoption of “Declaration on European identity” (Copenhagen, 14 December, 1973) onwards. The historical review will provide an insight into the significance of cultural heritage in European integration.

The starting point for the review is the year of 1973, when “Declaration on European identity” was adopted. Try to explain why the EU leaders decided to make a statement on the issue of European identity at that particular point of time. Is it coincidence that the statement was made in the same year in which the EU concluded its first major enlargement (The UK, Denmark and Ireland entered the EU)? Analyze next challenges to European identity were the following:

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The Maastricht Treaty of 1992, which added new dimensions to the EU which touch upon the core of state sovereignty: foreign and security policy, justice and home affairs, and economic and monetary Union; the admission of 12 Central and Eastern European Countries to the EU, which was the EU biggest enlargement ever; failure of Constitutional Treaty in referenda in France and Netherlands in 2004.

Question #2 may seem to be challenging since there is no clear characteristic of common European cultural heritage. The number of characteristics tends to approach the number of scholars who write about the subject. Take into consideration that the EU can only rely to a limited extent on the traditional sources of national identity formation, like culture and history. Therefore, EU identity building has been focusing on political values. Comment on the core values written in the Lisbon Treaty: respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of minorities.

After analysis of political components of European identity, direct your attention at historic and cultural values. Characterize the features which many scholars consider as the key reference points for a European cultural identity: Christianity, the humanism of the Renaissance, the rationalism of the Enlightenment, human rights.

Questions #3 and #4 are devoted to the language as a major marker of cultural identity. The discussion is to be centered on the following topics:

–language diversity as an obstacle for building common cultural

space;

–multilingualism;

–English as a lingua franca;

–conflict between EU policies of protecting linguistic diversity and creating an integrated communicative space;

–status of languages in EU Member states;

–minorities’ languages;

–immigrant communities’ languages.

Assignments for control and development of competences

1. Why does the role of Europe’s common culture grow in importance as a source of unity and cohesion? Explain the reasons.

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2. Is there a common European cultural space? If so, what is it

like?

3.Is cultural “unity in diversity” a feasible project?

4.What are the highlights of European identity building process?

5.When was “Declaration on European identity” adopted? Why did the EU leaders decide to make a statement on the issue of European identity at that particular point of time?

6.When did the UK enter the EU?

7.When did Denmark enter the EU?

8.When did Ireland enter the EU?

9.When was first major enlargement of the EU? Which countries entered?

10.In which countries did referenda on Constitutional Treaty in 2004 fail?

11.When was the Lisbon Treaty signed?

12.When was the Maastricht Treaty signed?

13.Which treaties form the constitutional basis of the European Union?

14. Match the events with their dates. One date is extra.

15. Choose one of the topics below and write an essay:

1.Common cultural heritage as a vehicle of cultural identity.

2.EU projects for preserving and enhancing Europe's cultural heritage.

3.Identity-forming qualities of historical memory.

4.European history as a controversial source for EU identity building.

5.European collective identity and traumatic memory.

6.The effectiveness of values as sources of identification.

7.Political and humanist values.

8.Read extract #1 from S. Huntington and write an essay on the question: Is European culture a divisive or a unifying force in European identity building?

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S. Huntington about future lines of conflict:

“In this new world the most pervasive, important and dangerous conflicts will not be between social classes, rich and poor, or other economically defined groups, but between peoples belonging to different cultural entities. Tribal wars and ethnic conflicts will occur within civilizations. Violence between states and groups from different civilizations, however, carries with it the potential for escalation as other states and groups from these civilizations rally to the support of their ‘kin countries’. In the post-Cold War world, culture is both a divisive and a unifying force. People separated by ideology but united by culture come together, as the two Germanys did and as the two Koreas and the several Chinas are beginning to. Societies united by ideology or historical circumstance but divided by civilization either come apart, as did the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, and Bosnia, or are subjected to intense strain, as is the case with Ukraine, Nigeria, Sudan, India, Sri Lanka, and many others” (Huntington, S. ‘The Clash of Civilizations’ 1996,p. 28).

9. Read extract #2 from Huntington’s ‘The Clash of Civilizations’ write an essay on the question: “What are the political implications of culture and religion?”

“In the late 1980s the communist world collapsed, and the Cold War international system became history. In the post-Cold War world, the most important distinctions among peoples are not ideological, political, or economic. They are cultural. Peoples and nations are attempting to answer the most basic question human beings can face: Who are we? And they are answering that question in the traditional way human beings have answered it, by reference to the things that mean most to them. People define themselves in terms of ancestry, religion, language, history, values, customs, and institutions. They identify with cultural groups: tribes, ethnic groups, religious communities, nations, and at the broadest level, civilizations. People use politics not just to advance their interests, but also to define their identity. We know who we are only when we know who we are not, and often only when we know whom we are against. Nation states remain the principal actors in world affairs. Their behavior is shaped as in the past by the pursuit of power and wealth, but it is also shaped by cultural preferences, commonalties, and differences. The most important groupings of states are no longer the three blocs of the Cold War but rather the world’s seven or eight major civilizations (Huntington, 1996: 21).

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10.Look at the sentence from extract #2: In the post-Cold War world, the most important distinctions among peoples are not ideological, political, or economic. They are cultural. Do you agree with the statement? Back up your opinion with some examples from history.

11.Look at the sentence from the extract #2: We know who we are only when we know who we are not, and often only when we know whom we are against. Do you agree with the statement? Back up your opinion with some examples from history.

12.Late in his life Jean Monnet said that, were he to begin European integration again, he would start with culture. Write an essay on the topic. Put forward arguments for and against Jean Monnet’s statement.

Requirements for submission of an essay:

An essay has clearly stated objectives and is planned carefully. The structure of the paper work has all the necessary elements. They are the following: 1. Introduction (Objectives of the essay, analysis of

primary sources and research works of scholars). 2. Main part (a statement, supportive arguments “for” and “against”, the author’s personal point of view). 3. Conclusion. An excellent essay has clear statements and several supporting arguments presented in a logically coherent order. Conclusions logically follow arguments. The essay must be written according to the requirements: the paper should not exceed 4-5 pages. It should be typed in a readable font such as 12or 14-point Times Roman or Arial. Cover sheet or title page should include the following information: name, class number, instructor’s name, date and the title of the essay. The paper must include footnotes either on each page or at the end of the main text.

Vocabulary to learn

1.to adopt (declaration / law)

2.affirmation of our identity

5.collective memories

6.consistency (between values and actions)

7.common approach to smth.

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8.competitiveness

9.cultural / ethnic heritage

10.to emphase

11.enforcement (of law)

12.fundamental rights

13.historic background

14.human rights

15.ideological currents

16.industrial breakthrough

17.lingua franca

18.maintenance (of certain social standards)

19.the Middle Ages

20.the Modern times

21.observation of human rights

22.political entity

23.priority

24.the Renaissance

25.rule of law

26.the Silk Route

27.to sign (a treaty)

28.social standards

29.sustainable (growth)

31.value system

32.valid

Recommended Reading

Basic

1. The Spiritual and Cultural Dimension of Europe. Concluding Remarks by Biedenkopf. K., Geremek, B. and Michalski, B. Vienna / Brussels, October 2004. <http://www.calculemus.org/pub-libr/eu- integr/reflexionEN6.pdf>.

2.Christoffer Kølvraa,C. and Ifversen, J. Myth and History Politics in European integration. <http://euce.org/eusa/2011/papers/8f_ifversen.pdf>.

3.Eichinger, F. Common Values as a Source for EU Identity Formation // Working Papers Centre for German and European

Studies, 2009. # 2. <http://www.zdes.spbu.ru/assets/files/wp/2009- /WP%202009-2% 20Eichinger.pdf>.

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4.Vanhoenacker, M. The Language Puzzle in the European Integration Process. PIONEUR Working Paper No. 5 – July 2003. <http://www.obets.ua.es/pioneur/bajaarchivo_public.php?iden=44>.

5.Joseph, J. Language and Identity: National, Ethnic, Religious. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire & New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004. Р. 92–125.

6.Joseph, J. E. Eloquence and Power: the Rise of Language Standards and Standard Languages. London: Frances Pinter; New York: Blackwell, 1987.

7.Joseph, J. E. Language as Fiction: Writing the Text of Linguistic Identity in Scotland // English Literatures in International Contexts / Ed. by H. Autor & K. Stierstorfer. Heidelberg: C. Winter, 2000. P. 77–84.

8.Джозеф, Джон. Язык и национальная идентичность //

Логос, 2005, № 4 (49), С. 20–48.

9.Oakes, Leigh. Language and National Identity: Comparing France and Sweden. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Co., 2001.

Additional

1.Oakes, Leigh Multilingualism in Europe: an Effective French Identity Strategy? // Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, Vol.23, No 2, 2002, p.p. 371–387. <http://www.unibg.it/dati/corsi/7802/13435-L-OAKES.pdf>.

2.Blanc-Noël, N. Multicultural Sweden, assimilationist France: how and why national identity narratives evolve "Cultural diversity, Multilingualism and Ethnic minorities in Sweden // International Conference 2-3 September 2009. – Stockholm, Sweden <http://www.sens-public.org/spip.php?article768&lang=fr>.

3.May, S. Language and Minority rights. Ethnicity, Nationalism and the Politics of Language. L.: Longman 2001.

4.McColl Millar, R. Language, Nation and Power. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan 2005.

Internet resources

1. http://ec.europa.eu/culture/portal/index_en.htm – European Culture Portal. There are many EU policies for the promotion of culture: subsidy programmes, regulations, etc. The European Culture Portal provides information on these policies and directs you to specialised sites where you can find more detailed information, such as

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the Culture site, which specialises in aid for cultural cooperation in Europe. The Portal can also direct you to the sites of the national authorities responsible for culture in Europe.

PRACTICAL # 9. National identity vs European identity

Objective: to develop the ability to apply knowledge gained from Humanities, Social Studies and Economics in carrying out expert and analytical work on collective identity issues.

Organizational structure of the class: conference

Topics for discussion

1.Public perceptions of European identity

2.National affiliations and European identity: tensions or coexistence?

3.National identity issue on a state level: challenges, trends, outlooks.

The objective of the class is to examine European identity and the relationship between two kinds of collective identity - national and European – on the empirical level. Preparing for question #1, think over the following things. What is European identity on the level of public perception? Is it uni-dimensional or does it encompass different meanings? Do such definitions vary across European Union member states? In other words, can we empirically distinguish between different European identities?

Question #2 intends to complement students’ knowledge on the above mentioned questions by looking at individual definitions of European identity, across the twenty-eight national contexts of the European Union.

The research into question #3 is supposed to be done in the form of team work. Students work in small groups, each of which chooses a country of EU as an area of group investigation. The aim is to explore public opinion of a chosen Member State on the issue of identities. The data may be collected from various sources like Eurobarometer reports, the press, EU and various research centers’ websites.

Each team’s final report should contain well-substantiated conclusions with supporting facts and figures. Be ready to present

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information covering a wide range of questions, like pro-Europeans and eurosceptics: social, professional and cultural foundations for division; how national and European identities are represented through different events, institutions, exhibitions, museums and architecture. Pay special attention to the challenges which your chosen Member State faces in terms of identity, minorities, immigration, languages.

Assignments for control and development of competences

1.Characterize social, professional and cultural foundations for division between pro-Europeans and eurosceptics.

2.Summarize the information from the class and give a concise answer to the question: What is European identity on the level of public perception?

3.Reflect on the question whether European identity is uni-

dimensional or it encompasses different meanings.

4.Compare the final report of your group with those of your classmates in order to find out whether definitions of European identity vary across European Union member states.

5.Summarise information on the European country which you have studied and answer the questions:

1.How is national identity represented through different cultural events and institutions?

2.What challenges does your chosen Member State face in terms of identity, minorities, immigration, languages?

3.What is European identity on the level of public perception in your chosen Member State?

6.Look at statement #1 of an American political analyst and his arguments for it. Complete the table with arguments against the statement. (source: Douthat, R. On the Nature of Our Regime. New York Times, July 14, 2014).

Ordinary Europeans today do not know what to make of the “European project”

yes because… no because…

1. They see that the weighty decisions are made in the Brussels bureaucracy or in the European Commission, whose members are not directly elected.

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