Jean Monnet Basic Course on European Integration: the diversity of Europe Unity and diversity in Eur

1
Jean Monnet Basic Course on European Integration
the diversity of EuropeUnity and diversity in
Europe from the perspective of sociology and
social policy Part 1

• Jan Kunz
• (jan.kunz_at_uta.fi)
• Department of Social Policy and Social Work

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Technicalities

• Comment 1 The lecture material (power point
  slides but not the overhead folios) will be
  available on the ISSS homepage.

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Technicalities

• Comment 2 EU enlargement is still a rather new
  phenomenon. There is much more material available
  concerning the EU 15 than the EU 25. Hence, the
  view of this lecture is rather western. The
  question is, if this is the correct view with
  regard to social, cultural and economic trends in
  the 10 new Member States. Another question is if
  direct comparisons should be made (old welfare
  states versus transition countries). Less
  diversities within EU 15.

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Schedule

• 01.03. 14-17
• Unity and diversity in Europe ? some general
  considerations and questions
• What divides and what unites Europe and the
  Europeans? (? focus on general topics)
• The social and cultural situation in the European
  Union unity or diversity? (? focus on regional
  trends)
• Demography, households and families

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Schedule

• 02.03. 14-17
• The social, economic and cultural situation in
  the European Union (continued) (? focus on
  regional trends)
• Economic situation, employment and unemployment
• Poverty and social protection
• The situation of women
• Linguistic diversities
• Education
• Diversities in every day life
• Final considerations

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Literature (selection)

• Guibernau, Montserrat (ed.) (2001) Governing
  European Diversity, London Sage Publications.
• Schelley, Monica, and Winck, Margaret (eds.)
  (2000) Aspects of European Cultural Diversity,
  London Routledge.
• European Commission (2004) The social situation
  in the European Union, Luxembourg Office for
  Official Publications of the European
  Communities.
• European Commission (2004) Eurostat yearbook 2004
  the statistical guide to Europe, Luxembourg
  Office for Official Publications of the European
  Communities.
• European Commission (2004) Regions statistical
  yearbook 2004, Luxembourg Office for Official
  Publications of the European Communities.

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European unity and diversity general
considerations and questions
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European unity and diversity general
considerations and questions

• Some definitions (Merriam Webster Dictionary)
• Diversity ? condition where things are differing
  from one another, things are unlike, composed of
  distinct or unlike elements or qualities.
• The antonym of diversity is uniformity ? the
  quality or state of being uniform. Things have
  the same form with others. An unvaried appearance
  of surface, pattern or colour.
• Interestingly diversity has been around (in
  linguistic terms) since the 14th century, while
  uniformity as a word was not known before 1538.

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European unity and diversity general
considerations and questions

• What questions need to be asked if we want to do
  research on unity an diversity in Europe?
• (1.) What are the key differences within the
  European Union? ? One approach could be for
  example the comparison of one indicator (e.g.
  GDP, unemployment, poverty) in France with the
  same indicator in Sweden. However, the comparison
  of national data can lead to distortions, as
  there are not only differences between but also
  within EU countries.
• Examples Germany, Estonia, Italy,

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European unity and diversity general
considerations and questions

• Hence the focus should also be on the European
  regions (includes geographical differences within
  Member States) as well as social groups (includes
  social differences within Member States). (??)
• (2.) What are the binding elements within the
  European Union? What are the driving forces
  behind the European integration? What keeps the
  EU together?

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European unity and diversity general
considerations and questions

• If we agree that unity is the opposite to
  diversity, then (3.) another question is how much
  unity do we need in the European Union or (4.)
  how much diversity can the EU stand? This assumes
  that unity is something positive and diversity
  something negative. But is this really the case?
• Alternatively how much diversity does the EU
  need?

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European unity and diversity general
considerations and questions

• There are a number of critical points related to
  these questions
• How do we define the European Union (politically,
  geographically, economically, culturally,
  historically)?
• Who is in and who is out? / Who can join the
  club and who cannot?
• ? What are the official criteria for EU
  membership?

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European unity and diversity general
considerations and questions

• Under the Rome Treaty, the EU describes itself
  as an entity in which "any European state" may
  apply for membership. The EU's natural limits are
  understood to be the borders of Europe, but the
  definition of this boundary is unclear. (Source
  Euractive)
• Copenhagen criteria 1993
• political ? stability, democracy rule of law,
  human rights, minority protection
• economic ? strong market economy
• acquis ? EU status quo is taken over.

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European unity and diversity general
considerations and questions

• There are strong north/south diversities in the
  EU already. East-West diversities increased with
  EU enlargement ? where is the limit? Is there a
  critical point at which the future of the
  European Union gets endangered? How to identify
  it? (different interests)
• What are the key elements that make people
  Europeans and distinguish them from others? (?
  important to know in order to create identity and
  solidarity in Europe). EU as economic and
  monetary area versus community of solidarity and
  values?

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European unity and diversity general
considerations and questions

• Is the diversity in Europe productive or
  counter-productive? If diversity is counter
  productive, how can we reach a higher level of
  unity and cohesion (and vice versa)?

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European unity and diversity general
considerations and questions

• In order to answer these questions we should keep
  the following in mind
• The European Union is a community in the making
  (Guibernau 2001) ? examples struggle for a
  common foreign policy (e.g. Iraq war), the
  discussions with regard to the constitution of
  the EU or the debates concerning EU enlargement
  (Turkey) / project Europe ? open end. Remember
  it took a long time to create the nation states.

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What divides and what unites Europe and the
Europeans?
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What divides and what unites Europe and the
Europeans?

• Geography all EU Member States are located in
  the same region of the world (unity)
  geographical borders are not the best criteria to
  define the European Union as they have been
  changed many times in the course of history (??).
  Yet they play an important role.
• What about the French departements overseas?
• The Ural as eastern border of the EU?
• What about Morocco (application in 1987)?
• What about Turkey (application in 1963)?

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What divides and what unites Europe and the
Europeans?

• Religion The EU as Christian club (Turkey)? ?
  Christianity is not a pre-condition for
  membership large non-Christian minorities living
  in Europe already (??). Can Christianity serve as
  uniting factor? There were many wars fought in
  Europe in the name of religion. Diversity ?
  protestant north versus catholic south with
  Belgium, Ireland, Germany and France as
  exceptions, orthodox Christianity in the east
  plus Greece. Unity ? all Member States of the EU
  are secular.

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What divides and what unites Europe and the
Europeans?

• Welfare states we have welfare states in all
  Member States of the EU (different level s in
  EU15/CEECs) (unity) but there is no European
  welfare state model (diversity). Instead we find
  different welfare state models (see
  Esping-Andersen, EPC working paper Lisbon
  revisited).

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What divides and what unites Europe and the
Europeans?

• Nordic / Social Democratic model (Denmark,
  Sweden, Finland) state plays a central role and
  social policy is made on the basis of civil
  rights. High taxes and high distribution levels.
  High labour market participation. Universalism.
  Welfare state is built on a large middle class.
  Active labour market policies, life long
  learning, investments in research and development.

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What divides and what unites Europe and the
Europeans?

• Continental / Conservative model (Austria,
  Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands)
  states decide only about the guidelines and leave
  it to intermediate bodies like employers and
  employees to conclude contracts concerning social
  security. Principle of subsidiarity (state steps
  in only when other resources are exhausted).
  Corporatism. Strong focus on the labour market.

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What divides and what unites Europe and the
Europeans?

• Peripheral / Mediterranean model (Italy, Spain,
  Portugal, Greece) state intervention is
  considered as negative and demoralising social
  support is left to small communities, like the
  family or the church regional approaches. Gaps
  in coverage. Weak role of the state in managing
  the welfare systems. But universal health care
  systems.

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What divides and what unites Europe and the
Europeans?

• British / Anglo-Saxon model (UK and Ireland)
  state intervention and benefits are reduced to a
  minimum and private social security and social
  work is promoted. Ideology state should
  interfere as little as possible with the market.
  Means tests, tight entitlement rules. Primary
  focus of social services on health and education.
• The new EU Member States no single economic and
  social model. CEECs have a common communist past.
  The Czech Republic, Poland, Estonia and Slovenia
  are said to be on the continental route.
  Hungary is more liberal. Baltic states?

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What divides and what unites Europe and the
Europeans?

• Socio-economic factors Unity ? High level of
  welfare and industrialisation (at the
  international level). Diversity ? rich industrial
  north with strong welfare states versus agrarian
  south and partly east with weak welfare states ?
  there are more women in the labour market in the
  north and birth rates are higher.

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What divides and what unites Europe and the
Europeans?

• Unity ? the Nordic welfare states have partly
  reduced their support levels in the past while
  the south is trying to catch up. Still major
  differences remain. In addition many Member
  States of the EU are facing similar problems
  unemployment population ageing budget deficits
  etc.

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What divides and what unites Europe and the
Europeans?

• Social strata uniting element ? working class in
  (western) Europe is not in a bad position (thanks
  to welfare states and social policy). In addition
  there is a strong middle class. What is the
  situation in Eastern Europe (? two class
  societies)? Diversity ? The EU is a project of
  the national elite and not of the common people
  (resistance towards EMU, enlargement,
  constitution). Nowadays more NGOs and citizen
  involvement. Do we have a union of the people?

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What divides and what unites Europe and the
Europeans?

• Culture high (elite) culture versus low
  (popular) culture. But who decides what is good
  and what is bad in this context? Popular
  culture can have be a uniting factors, but is it
  European or are there international forces at
  work? Most of the people live in cities, where we
  find a strong cultural mix - everybody can chose
  which culture he or she likes. Local European
  cultures do usually not spread far (? diversity).
  However, classical culture is often seen as
  something typical European (? unity).

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What divides and what unites Europe and the
Europeans?

• Gender unity ? political and social emancipation
  of women has started in northern Europe and
  spread to the south. Has it gained pace in the
  East? Increasing number of women in the labour
  market separation from sexuality and
  reproduction. But there is still a high level of
  inequality in all Member States. Diversity ?
  there are strong regional differences.

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What divides and what unites Europe and the
Europeans?

• Nationality and ethnicity strong ethnic
  diversity in Europe. There are no real nation
  states. Strong regional/local cultures.
  Minorities, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers
  challenge the idea of a nation state with one
  culture (??). Is this a uniting or deviating
  element? ? Canada, the USA or Australia (high
  level of unity despite ethnic diversities).

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What divides and what unites Europe and the
Europeans?

• History European history is characterised by
  wars and conflicts rather than uniting elements
  (? diversity). Cold war created some unity ?
  Western Europe together with the US against the
  evil East (and vice versa). End of the cold war
  has deprived Western Europe of a common enemy
  (terrorism?). Eastern Europeans argue they were
  forced to join the USSR and they are coming home
  to Europe now.

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What divides and what unites Europe and the
Europeans?

• Unity ? realisation that war and conflict is
  counterproductive and that only co-operation and
  solidarity will produce peace and stability in
  Europe in the long run. The last 50 years have
  been a rather successful period in Western Europe
  in this context.

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What divides and what unites Europe and the
Europeans?

• Social movements 1968 (against capitalist and
  conservative values), green movement, feminism,
  gay-lesbian movement, regional patriotism/national
  ism. Civil society ? uniting element which has
  gained influence on politics (??). But strong
  regional diversities with regard to the fields of
  engagement and the political goals (strong
  intra-national diversities possible).

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What divides and what unites Europe and the
Europeans?

• Political culture and values probably one of the
  strongest uniting factors. EU as community of
  values. Not history, geography or religion, but
  enlightenment, capitalism, roman law (same rights
  for the whole empire judgements dependent on
  interpretation), the French Revolution (freedom,
  equality, solidarity) unite Europe and the
  Europeans in combination with industrial
  production (industrial revolution).

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What divides and what unites Europe and the
Europeans?

• Rationality in order to ensure economic and
  social progress and prosperity. Believe in a
  single institutional framework with strong
  subsidiarity. In the beginning focus on the
  economy ? believe that culture and identity will
  follow later. Now change towards more active
  policies in other fields (e.g. social policy,
  environmental issues). However, the question
  remains is the EU an elite project or a project
  of the people? (different interests)

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What divides and what unites Europe and the
Europeans?

• Shared political culture and values the
  European social model. The recent debates
  indicates, that the EU is more than a free-trade
  area. The characteristics of the European social
  model are debated equality and
  non-discrimination, social protection, market
  economies, human rights, civil rights, civil
  society, rule of law, democracy, solidarity,
  collective bargaining, secularisation, education,
  what else?

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The socio-cultural situation in the European
Union unity or diversity?
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The socio-cultural situation in the European
Union unity or diversity?

• Population In January 2001 there were 377
  million people living in the EU (China 1273
  million India 1030 million USA 278 million
  Japan 127 million). The EU 25 has 455 million
  inhabitants (EU 27 482 million). However, there
  are strong regional diversities concerning the
  population density in Europe (??). What are the
  consequences with regard to the EU goal of social
  cohesion?

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The socio-cultural situation in the European
Union unity or diversity?

• Migration trends from countryside to cities
  (uniting element in Europe) (Germany east to
  west Italy south to north). 80 percent of the
  EU population is living in cities and large
  towns.
• Europeans live longer
• Girls ? first half 1960s 72.9
• second half 1990s 80.8
• 2000 81.4
• Boys ? first half 1960s 67.8
• second half 1990s 74.4
• 2000 75.3

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The socio-cultural situation in the European
Union unity or diversity?

• Fertility levels remain very low (they are not
  dropping as fast as before but they are unlikely
  to recover in the near future).
• 1960 2.59 ? 2000 1.53
• (The reproduction level is 2.1 children per
  woman.)
• Strong regional diversities Spain 1.22 and
  Italy 1.25 versus Ireland 1.89. (??)

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The socio-cultural situation in the European
Union unity or diversity?

• As a consequence (high life expectancy low
  fertility) the EU population is ageing (unity).
  The baby boomers come to retirement age around
  the year 2010.
• The share of over 65 year old versus 20-64 year
  old is rising. 2000 28.3 ? 2020 37.3 (??)
• In 1960 there were 34 million people aged 65 or
  older living in the EU. In 2000 the figure stood
  at 61 million people. The prediction for 2010 is
  69 million people.

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The socio-cultural situation in the European
Union unity or diversity?

• After centuries of growth the population in the
  EU is going to shrink in most of the Member
  States before 2015 (strong regional diversities).
  In the 1960s the population increased by about 8
  people per 1000 inhabitants. 1995-2000 the
  increase stood at 2.6. Since the 1980s migration
  plays a major role with regard to population
  growth. The population in Italy is said to
  decline already this decade while in Ireland does
  not expect any fall until 2048.

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The socio-cultural situation in the European
Union unity or diversity?

• The households are becoming smaller, the number
  of people living alone is increasing, the number
  of single parents is increasing.
• Crude marriage rate (per 1000 population)
• 1960 8.0 ? 1999 5.1 (??)
• The marriage age has increased
• Men 26 (1980) ? 30 (2000)
• Women 23 (1980) ? 28 (2000)

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The socio-cultural situation in the European
Union unity or diversity?

• Crude divorce rate (per 1000 population)
• 1960 0.5 ? 1999 1.8 (??)
• Strong regional diversities Nordic countries
  and UK ? divorce rates around 40 percent.
  Southern countries ? divorce rates of 15 percent
  or less.
• Cohabitation has increased 33 percent of young
  couples (under 30) are cohabiting. 70 percent in
  Denmark, but only 9-17 percent in Greece, Spain,
  Ireland, Portugal and Italy.

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The socio-cultural situation in the European
Union unity or diversity?

• The number of extramarital children has
  increased.
• 1960 5 ? 1999 27
• In Sweden 55 percent in Denmark, France,
  Finland and the UK around 40 percent Greece 4
  percent, Italy 9.2 percent, Spain 14.1 percent ?
  but the figures have increased as well.
• Total population trends (??).

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The socio-cultural situation in the European
Union unity or diversity?

• How to sum up the social trends and population
  dynamics in the European Union? Are they
  characterised by unity or diversity?
• Which policy fields will be influenced by these
  trends?

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The socio-cultural situation in the European
Union unity or diversity?

• Summary of social trends and population dynamics
• Similar trends can be observed (unity), but the
  dimension of the effects varies significantly
  between the member states as well as between the
  regions of the EU (diversity).

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The socio-cultural situation in the European
Union unity or diversity?

• Some points to be considered in this context
• Generation contract / pensions
• Day care
• Migration
• Labour markets
• Family policies
• Pension age / life long learning
• Booming regions versus deserted regions (old
  unemployed poor, etc.)
• Services (for the elderly / influence on the
  regions regions)
• Flexible policy approach is needed