Projected Europe: understanding the meanings associated with European identity from Erasmus citizens' point of view

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to contribute to the analysis of the European identity’s narrative. Drawing on a range of focus group interviews with Erasmus students, it is aimed to understand how they perceive European identity and the meanings of Europe in these students' representations. In the light of the empirical findings, it is considered that Europe is more an adjective condition than a substantive one on their representative anchorages. The outcomes also point to the ambivalent and ambiguous character of the meanings associated with Europe’s project. Besides, the significance they attribute to their exchange experiences does not always have implications in their ideas about a united Europe.