Legitimation Through Remembrance? The Changing Regimes of Historicity of European Integration
Oriane Calligaro
This article is a socio-historical analysis of the European institutions' attempts to promote memory integration since 1950s. It demonstrates how institutions and their representatives referred symbolized various pasts in order root project historically. EU elites have used past for contemporary political strategies resulting specific ‘regimes historicity’, which evolved correspondence with context integration. For pioneers Community, future was dominant time-category. From mid-1970s, increasing weight attributed heritage sign emergence new regime historicity: presentism. In this regime, official discourses initiatives attempt at (re-)enacting common citizens' present. Through concrete actions—historiographical projects, ceremonies, cultural programmes—I show that promotion transnational manifestation historicity. Memorialization processes, often neglect historical accuracy, re-present elements materialize commonalities foster collective identification. These uses are addressed public apart legitimation EU.
Journal of Contemporary European Studies