Emmanuel Sigalas | Akateeminen Kirjakauppa

Without a common identity a truly united Europe will remain a chimera. But this is the 21st century. The elites cannot impose an artificial European identity and hope they can forge cohesion and solidarity among the European people. What they can do, however, is to build a European identity from below. The ERASMUS exchange programme aims precisely that, to create a generation of Europeans naturally and unobtrusively. The book explains why a European identity is necessary for the legitimacy and viability of the EU, and what role cross-border student mobility can play in this respect. Applying an interdisciplinary theoretical framework and drawing on sound empirical data, including the first ever longitudinal survey of Erasmus students' attitudes, the book challenges the stereotypical view of ERASMUS and of its potential to promote a European identity and public support for the EU.