European Identity - Individual, Group and Society - HumanitarianNet

250 EUROPEAN IDENTITY. INDIVIDUAL, GROUP AND SOCIETYMulticultural identityWe are all multicultural. Identities are evasive. They change constantlyacross different contexts and relationships, and are challenged,negotiated, co-created and redefined again and again in variouscommunicative situations (Vasko, Kjisik & Salo-Lee 1998). Individuals´behaviours are guided by a multiplicity of cultures in which they areengaged, and “to expect people in any specific cultural setting to actand react as if their behaviour is shaped by only one culture is atheoretical abstraction and not obtainable in real life. In the real world,people are members of, and/or are influenced by, more than oneculture” (Kuada & Gullestrup 1997).What kind of role should and can “European identity” have amongother identitites? Is “Homo Europeus” a realistic concept, or target?(see Niiniluoto 1996).I will first look at cultural, ethnic, and national identities. I will thendiscuss some of the challenges we face in relation to European identityand intercultural education.Culture and identity are intertwined. In sociology and anthropology,cultural identity is understood to mean the feeling of belonging to acultural group, and behaviour which is based on common values, jointhistory, language and tradition (Liebkind 1994). Language is a part of aperson´s cultural identity. It is a powerful unifying force for groupcohesion. Language is used to reinforce the identification and bondwith a particular group. The solidarity towards one´s own group isshown, when appropriate, using that group´s own language. An ethnicgroup is a group which classifies itself as a separate group and has itsown culture which it wants to maintain. According to Liebkind (1994),ethnic identities are changeable. They can change within both aperson´s lifetime and along the history. In spite of that, ethnic identity—anchoring oneself in a certain nation, or ethnic group— seems to bea relatively permanent phenomenon. Partially this depends on the factthat national culture is transmitted to a person already in the family.With early education it unconsciously forms the whole personality inline with the national culture (Liebkind 1994).What is then national culture? National identities are one source ofcultural identity. In our self-definitions we may in certain contexts resortto our national (“passport”-) identity: “I am a Finn”. National identityhas become, at least to earlier generations, to signify “home”, “roots”.Internationality and interculturality used sometimes to be seen as athreat to national aspirations. In Finland, for instance, a well-knownpatron and sponsor of Finnish artists, critisized early 20 th century a