Towards a post-ethnic Europe

Martiniello looks at the ethnic and post-ethnic identities that are being created, reproduced and asserted in the European Union, and how they are linked to ideas about citizenship and belonging in a new type of political society that might be called a 'non-state'. His discussion falls into two parts. First, he presents a critical view of European culture, identity and citizenship as they are now, for the most part, conceived. He then briefly presents David Hollinger's view of post-ethnicity in the United States, and tries to see what we can learn from it for a European context. In conclusion, he claims that the post-ethnic perspective is a rich and normative one that can help us to envision a future democratic, multicultural and open Europe.