Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

The 'Difference Engine': : Constructing and Representing the International Identity of the European Union

Manners, Ian LU orcid and Whitman, Richard (2003) In Journal of European Public Policy 10(3). p.380-404
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to develop more fully the notion of the international identity of the European Union (EU) in world politics. We will attempt to balance our previous focus of work on the "active dimension' of the EU' s attempts to "assert its identity on the international scene'; by looking at the "reflexive dimension'; of the EU's international identity from a more sociological perspective. Our article will argue that the distinctive polity perspectives and role representations of the EU can be thought of as a form of "difference engine'; which drives the construction and representation of the EU's international identity. Like Babbage's original difference engine, the EU's international identity is not a multiplier of... (More)
The purpose of this article is to develop more fully the notion of the international identity of the European Union (EU) in world politics. We will attempt to balance our previous focus of work on the "active dimension' of the EU' s attempts to "assert its identity on the international scene'; by looking at the "reflexive dimension'; of the EU's international identity from a more sociological perspective. Our article will argue that the distinctive polity perspectives and role representations of the EU can be thought of as a form of "difference engine'; which drives the construction and representation of the EU's international identity. Like Babbage's original difference engine, the EU's international identity is not a multiplier of difference, exaggerating the dissimilarities between the EU and the rest of the world through the generation of a new European supranational identity, but functions on the basis of addition - by adding an … (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Construction, Difference, European Union, International Identity, Reflexive, Representation
in
Journal of European Public Policy
volume
10
issue
3
pages
25 pages
publisher
Routledge
external identifiers
  • scopus:0346756276
ISSN
1350-1763
DOI
10.1080/1350176032000085360
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
ef4b9bde-65be-475e-9a77-ae5b0a869281
date added to LUP
2023-01-09 13:02:50
date last changed
2025-04-04 14:26:51
@article{ef4b9bde-65be-475e-9a77-ae5b0a869281,
  abstract     = {{The purpose of this article is to develop more fully the notion of the international identity of the European Union (EU) in world politics. We will attempt to balance our previous focus of work on the "active dimension' of the EU' s attempts to "assert its identity on the international scene'; by looking at the "reflexive dimension'; of the EU's international identity from a more sociological perspective. Our article will argue that the distinctive polity perspectives and role representations of the EU can be thought of as a form of "difference engine'; which drives the construction and representation of the EU's international identity. Like Babbage's original difference engine, the EU's international identity is not a multiplier of difference, exaggerating the dissimilarities between the EU and the rest of the world through the generation of a new European supranational identity, but functions on the basis of addition - by adding an …}},
  author       = {{Manners, Ian and Whitman, Richard}},
  issn         = {{1350-1763}},
  keywords     = {{Construction; Difference; European Union; International Identity; Reflexive; Representation}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{380--404}},
  publisher    = {{Routledge}},
  series       = {{Journal of European Public Policy}},
  title        = {{The 'Difference Engine': : Constructing and Representing the International Identity of the European Union}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1350176032000085360}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/1350176032000085360}},
  volume       = {{10}},
  year         = {{2003}},
}