1 ENLARGEMENT – IN SEARCH FOR EUROPEAN IDENTITY By Mitja Žagar 1 1. To speak about identity and specifically about European identity is a difficult, but very tempting task. This topic is often discussed and sometimes dominates discussions in pubs, streets and different institutions; discussions on identity are frequent also at schools and within a scientific community. It is no wonder that identity is one of natural topics for discussions. Namely, discussions on identity focus on a few short, but important questions often asked by every human being: Who am I? Who are WE? Who are THEY – the others? Not surprisingly – as it is with weather or football – everybody has an opinion and/or specific views on identity. Often these views differ; they can be conflicting and, sometimes, exclusive. In a way, these discussions and different, sometimes, dissenting views reflect the complexity of the phenomenon itself. 2. Questions regarding the nature and content of European identity, but especially the search for a new European identity, its relations with other identities and a possible loss of national identities, are frequently asked in the context of the EU (Eastern) enlargement. These questions are discussed and different views exist in all current EU member states. Initiated especially by opponents to the EU integration they are or are becoming burning issues also in the candidate countries. Often, the public (opinion) in these countries fears that their national identities will be lost or, at least, substantially weakened with their full integration into the EU. So far, nobody knows the answers to these questions. I guess that I was asked to prepare this presentation on the search for a new European identity in the context of the EU (Eastern) enlargement because identities, especially ethnic identities as specific forms of collective identities are traditionally important topics in the study of ethnicity (ethnic studies). Additionally, I participated in many discussions on the possible role (position) of the future EU member countries and their populations within this European integration. Initially, I thought of presenting a traditional analytic study of this phenomenon that would contribute to the already substantial existing body of scholarly literature in this field. However, when I asked the organizers of this international conference about my intentions their reaction was: "Oh, God, NOO!" They told me that the last thing they needed was another traditional serious and possibly boring paper. They asked me for a more popular essayist approach – for a programmatic contribution that should aim at offering some new concepts and approaches. Although I knew that this was an (almost) impossible task, I decided to give it a try. And here is my attempt to fulfil the requests of the organizers. 1 Dr. Mitja Žagar is the director of the Institute for Ethnic Studies, Ljubljana and Associate Professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.