Serbian identity and the concept of Europeanness

Abstract

Serbia is considered as "an unfinished state" with a rather "undefined Nation" and as such approaching the European Union. This raises the question to what extent these circumstances will influence the success of Serbia?s EU-integration process, since nation identity and statehood are in this article seen as constitutional parts of the concept of Europeanness. Thus this paper focuses on Europeanness and the identity behind it. It further gives an overview of the Serbian identity, first by presenting its dichotomy and then by highlighting the main factors, which have primarily shaped the identity of Serbia. Finally this paper shows why a clearly defined national identity would facilitate Serbia?s access to the EU.Srbija se smatra "nedovrsenom drzavom zakasnele nacije" i kao takva je na putu kao Evropskoj Uniji. Rad postavlja pitanje do koje mere ce ove okolnosti uticati na uspeh evropskih intergracijskih procesa Srbije, posto se nacionalni identitet i drzavnost u ovom clanku smatraju konstitucionalnim delovima evropskog koncepta. Clanak se bavi "evropejstvom" i identitetom koji se nalazi iza toga pojma. Clanak osim toga daje prikaz srpskog identiteta prvo predstavljajuci njegovu dihotomiju, a zatim ukazujuci na glavne cinioce koji su sprecili nastanak konsenzusa u pogledu na identitet. Konacno, rad pokazuje zasto bi jasno definisan nacionalni identitet olaksao integraciju Srbije u EU.