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 * European Identity: Does Europe Exist?**


 * Edgar Bellow**

A European identity is an important factor for the integration of Europe because it implies that individuals and nations within Europe will subordinate parochial interests to achieve a common good based on the beliefs, values, and norms embodied by the identity. A European identity is composed of variables related to political and cultural identity. At the same time a European identity can theoretically exist simultaneously with other national or cultural identities, with individuals establish a hierarchy of importance or relevance for their identities to their lives. The analysis primarily used the data from the most recent Eurobarometer survey to conduct an analysis of the political and cultural variables related to European identity. Based on the analysis, a European identity exists that depends on cultural variables related to political culture, common heritage, and common traditions. The analysis also suggests that a European identity remains subordinate to national identity in situations in which the two identities are in conflict, which may create a barrier for integration in the European Union.

Keywords: Eurobarometer, European Identity, Cultural dimension, Political cultural, Geography location. 