E uropean I dentity and S upport for E uropean I ntegration: A M atter of P erceived E conomic B enefits?

• Published in: Kyklos (Basel) Vol. 67; no. 2; pp. 295 - 314
• Main Authors: Verhaegen, Soetkin, Hooghe, Marc, Quintelier, Ellen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-05-2014
• ISSN: 0023-5962; 1467-6435
• DOI: 10.1111/kykl.12055

Economic utilitarian theory assumes a relationship between economic benefits, support for
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uropean integration and
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uropean identity. While the relationship between economic benefits and support for
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uropean integration has already been empirically investigated, this is not the case for
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uropean identity. Therefore, we test the association between economic indicators and
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uropean identity, while performing the same analysis for support for
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uropean integration. Eight different objective and perceived economic parameters are tested, covering the whole spectrum of sociotropic, egocentric, objective and perceived benefits. The multilevel analyses on
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urobarometer data show that economic considerations are positively associated with support and
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uropean identity. This is especially the case for perceived benefits, indicating that earlier findings about perception of benefits in the study of support for
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uropean integration are valid for
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uropean identity as well.