Hi,
I'll answer from my own experience, but I'll try to reflect most of the people in my community too. The reason being that my opinions are not very typical of people in my area ;-) Hopefully this will be of most use to you!
I think this is an excellent topic for further research at grad school - please keep us posted on your progress and findings!
1) Which member state are you from? Do you live there presently? If not, where is your country of residence?
I am from, and currently live in, the UK
2) Do you feel that a European identity is emerging/developing (such as an American one)?
No! I know a handful of people who call themselves "European," but they are certainly in the minority.
Here in the UK, not many people even call themselves "British" - we usually identify ourselves as "English," "Irish," "Scottish," "Welsh," "Manx," etc. Within these groups there are also divisions: the English can often be divided into "Southerners" and "Northerners" - neither like each other too much :roll: . Northern Welsh-speaking Welsh are different to the Southern English-speaking Welsh. Highland and Lowland Scots have historically opposed each other in war along clan lines, and there are also religious and language differences. Some areas like Cornwall and Berwick upon Tweed see themselves as independent, or identify more with the Celtic nations despite being in modern-day England. And I'm sure you know about the Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland!
In the late 1990s we began a process of 'Devolution' whereby Wales and Scotland got their own assembly/parliament. They are still ultimately ruled by the British parliament in London, but have some of their own powers. For example, the education system and healthcare system are run differently.
3) How much power does the EU have in your opinion?
At the moment, not much in the UK - we are not fully part of the Schengen area (we still have border controls, plus a large expanse of sea!) and we do not use the Euro. Most European power is seen to revolve around guidelines and quotas for farmers, fishermen and the food industry. There is a huge debate around immigration: some immigrants have come to our country to take advantage of our welfare state: for example, Polish factory workers will sometimes claim child benefit for their huge Catholic family that still lives in Poland! (In my opinion, this signifies a need to rethink our welfare system - it is not constructive to scapegoat immigrants. But there is no denying that the press and far-right political parties are practically witch-hunting immigrant populations)
4) How much unity is there in Europe? Do you feel cohesion with other EU citizens from other states?
The rest of Europe is a very strange and far-away place for me! I think there is a class divide on this subject. I come from a very working-class area where going to the city 30 miles away was a big adventure! I remember thinking that foreign holidays were for "posh" people! However, most of the middle-class families I know are very comfortable with driving to France and travelling in western Europe.
There is also an age difference here. My mothers' generation are still a little uneasy with Germany: she knows that the war is over and respects Germany for industrialising, but still sees Germany as an alien place. She always worries and tells me to be careful when I go to Germany ;-) People of my age-group are fairly comfortable with western Europe, but there is still a divide between East and West Europe for us. We were brought up with the Cold war, and lots of spy films and jokes about soviet women and cabbages :-) When I was 18, it was trendy to go interrailing across Europe and stay in cities like Krakow and Prague because they were so cheap: you could stay in nice hotels that were cheaper than hostels, and buy new designer clothes every day because they were cheaper than going to a laundrette! There were still places you wouldn't visit: the Balkans were still dangerous, and I know someone who was shot at in Russia! Younger people now don't seem to see that divide so much: cities like Prague and Dubrovnik are very desirable, fashionable places to visit.
One strage product of the EU is the number of British people buying second homes in (or even moving to)sunnier countries, usually Spain. Often these homes are in British compounds, and the British are notorious for not learning other languages or socialising with the locals! You will find english-speaking schools and facilities in many cities where there is a British population.
Many companies have also relocated, or moved their manufacturing base to other, cheaper, European countries. Sometimes British workers are given the opportunity to relocate, but usually this action results in mass redundancies and increased Euro-scepticism amoung the working-classes. The EU is sometimes held partly responsible for the destruction of Britain's manufacturing base (although much of it has also moved outside the EU to India and China)
Watch any European football match and you will see what most football fans think of Germany! And watch 'Borat' or 'Bruno' for the kinds of stereotypes and attitudes some still hold about other Europeans!
5) Do you think there is a possibility that the EU may become a federal state such as the United States?
I am sure that this is the intent, but I cannot see it happening for a long time. Europe is such a melting pot of religions, languages and cultures. Only ten years ago we still had bitter wars in Ireland and Yugoslavia because one population refused to be ruled by anothers' - and separatists are still causing trouble in Spain. How can we become like the USA without a massive war?!
I would like to see increased unity: the Euro and Schengen area have made travel for business and education so much easier. I also think migration of workers will ultimately increase living standards in the poorer states while lowering costs in the richer states (benefical for everyone except London landlords!)
For migration of workers to be fair, the welfare states of each country need to be better integrated. It is very unfair that an immigrant living in the UK can claim benefits (and some people are openly taking advantage of this - we have heard of adverts in Poland encouraging people to milk our system!), yet a British person who retires to Spain after a life of hard work can lose their entitlement to healthcare :nonnon
In order for Britain to be fully integrated, British children must start speaking other languages in primary school. Our education system tends to be very insular, and we are often taught about local history and geography, sometimes in our own language (e.g. there are still Welsh and Gaelic speaking schools, and you can learn a 'British' language as your second language in many secondary schools). It would be easier if we had a nominated single language for everyone to communicate in: be it English, French, German, Latin or Espiranto!
In short, our greatest challenge will be to preserve our cultures, traditions and languages whilst enabling modern business, enlightenment and education
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