Challenges for Europeanness in an Age of Global Crises

The volume was written in response to the wide range of challenges – political, social, economic and environmental – that Europe faces today.

The volume examines the evolving significance of Europeanness in an era of profound uncertainty, marked by turbulence in global politics, social upheaval, and environmental crises such as climate change, war, migration, and economic volatility. These overlapping crises have placed unprecedented strain on Europe’s institutions, values, and sense of shared belonging, while simultaneously highlighting the urgent need to reflect on what it really means to be European and on how Europe can sustain its role as a relevant, credible, and inclusive project.

The contributors to this collection are young scholars affiliated with the 4EU+ Alliance, doctoral candidates and early-career researchers, who critically examine the challenges and transformations of Europeanness in their research. Their insights were first presented and debated during a workshop organised under Flagship 2 of the Alliance, held at the University of Warsaw on 10–11 June 2024, and were subsequently developed into the analyses presented here.