While mainstream politicians steer clear of any suggestion that Europe should abandon its commitment to ‘unity in diversity’, there is a rising tide of ‘populist’ rhetoric which warns that Europe’s identity – an identity supposedly forged by its ‘cultural, religious and humanist inheritance’ – is threatened by migration, and especially Muslim immigrants and refugees.
Our research cluster examines the diversity of cultural, political and philosophical ideas invoked in Europe's name, the ways these have been politically contested and reshaped, and the extent to which they intersect with the lived experiences of Europeans. We combine the methods of philosophy, sociology, political science and anthropology.
Key research themes
- Ideas and Images of Europe
- Post-conflict Resolution and Transitional Justice
- Ideologies, Parties and Political Movements
- Ideas of Political Community and Place
- Multiculturalism European Identities
- Religious Belief and Securalism
- Minorities
Academic staff working in this area & publications