Compatibility of National and European Identities among British and German University Students : A Lesson for Japanese Identities within Asia

摘要

The harmony between national identity and European identities based on European citizenship will be a cornerstone of the coexistence of dual and multiple identities in the twenty-first century. Can British people harmonise their national identities with European citizenship? This question applies not only to the possibility of becoming a European citizen without losing British identity, but also on a broader scale the prospect of becoming global citizens without losing oneu27s national identity. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the underlying question of how Euro-skeptical Britain can balance her national identities with European citizenship through qualitative and quantitative approaches. Firstly, it examines the kernel of "British national identity." Secondly it examines the British national identities and pride through the responses to interviews and questionnaires given to 100 British citizens, including 46 British students of Leeds University in comparison with those of 49 German students of Bochum University, 40 Thai graduate students and 216 Japanese students of Konan University in 2005 and 2006.Thirdly, it discusses the significance of European citizenship and its relevance to "British national identity." Exploring the compatibility of British national identity with European citizenship can serve as a useful precedent for the rest of the world, especially Japanese identities within Asia as a point of departure for global citizenship and peaceful coexistence in todayu27s divided world.