EUROPEANIZATION AND THE EMERGENCE OF A EUROPEAN SOCIETY Juan Díez Medrano 2008/12 Juan Díez Medrano Institut Barcelona d'Estudis Internacionals (IBEI) / Universitat de Barcelona. Research Program Coordinator “Networks and Institutions in a Global Society” at IBEI, and Professor of the University of Barcelona at the Dept. of Department of Sociological Theory, Philosophy of Law and Methodology for Social Sciences
[email protected] /
[email protected] ISSN: 1886-2802 IBEI WORKING PAPERS 2008/12 Europeanization and the Emergence of a European Society © Juan Díez Medrano © IBEI, de esta edición Edita: CIDOB edicions Elisabets, 12 08001 Barcelona Tel. 93 302 64 95 Fax. 93 302 21 18 E-mail:
[email protected] URL: www.cidob.org Depósito legal: B-21.147-2006 ISSN:1886-2802 Imprime: Color Marfil, S.L. Barcelona, January 2008 EUROPEANIZATION AND THE EMERGENCE OF A EUROPEAN SOCIETY Juan Díez Medrano Abstract: This article examines the European integration process from a sociological perspective, where the main focus is the examination of the social consequences of the integration process. The European Union has advanced significantly in the economic, social, and political integra- tion processes. This has resulted in a rapid Europeanization of behavior. There has hardly been any progress, however, toward the development of European social groups. This article exam- ines the causes of this lag and concludes that it is highly unlikely that in the middle run there be significant progress toward the Europeanization of society. Key words: European integration, Identity, Sociology. -3- 1. Introduction orking Papers The literature on European integration of the last fifty years has focused almost exclusively on the process of economic and political institutionalization.