The 'Locus' of European Identity: Deconstructing Identity Politics in the House of European History

Abstract

The idea of creating ‘Unity in Diversity’ - the Union's motto - is closely related to the idea of cosmopolitanism. The EU anticipates the formation of a cosmopolitan identity in which people of this community are equal and form a political unity beyond their moral background. Over the past 40 years, many programs developed that function as stepping stones in forming a EUropean identity, such as the Erasmus program for exchange students or MEDIA Creative Europe. One of the most recent attempts to form a EUropean identity was the House of European History (HEH) which opened its doors in 2017. HEH is located in Brussels and invites its visitors to explore EUropean history. The museum has become a manifestation of EUropean identity and shows its visitors the commonalities among the EUropean population.