ABSTRACT
The idea that the political identity of a group is defined by and dependent on primarily internal elements (one language, a common history, customs and traditions, etc.) is widely shared. Most participants in the debate on European identity largely agree with this view. In theoretical terms, neither the ‘neo-nationalist’, culturally-based position of Anthony Smith (1992), nor the ‘European culturalist’ position of authors like Enno Rudolph (2001) pay much attention to the role of the relationship with external Others in the process of identity formation. As for those who focus attention primarily on political and social rather than cultural dynamics (Habermas and Derrida 2003; Cerutti 2001, 2003, 2008), the relationship with external Others is recognized to be important, but is not fully investigated.
