The influence of terror on European and national identity

Terroristic threat has been a present phenomenon in European countries throughout the last decades. Nevertheless, its impact on the public opinion, policymaking and the national discussions has never been as strong as currently observed. At the same time, the European project is put to test. Right-wing populist parties are uprising and the future of nationalism, immigration, and the European Union are contro­versially discussed between the European countries as well as within the countries themselves.

This study aims to provide answers to the influence of terroristic threat on identity discourse in France and Germany. Damaris Braun will analyze to what extent terror attacks reinforce national identity markers. An additional research objective is to clarify in which manner the terroristic threat changes the setting we live in and therefore influences our situated identities. Drawing upon a social identity approach, she assumes an inter­depen­dence and/or inter­ference between national and European identity constructions. Aspects as agency, recon­struction of a positive identity and super­ordinate identity categories are additionally considered.

In the mixed methods design Damaris Braun contributes to research on identity by providing data showing how terroristic threat influences identity processes on a national and supra­national level.