Richard K. Herrmann is professor in the Department of Political Science and director of the Mershon Center, Ohio State University. Thomas Risse is professor in the Department of Political and Social Sciences and director of the Center for Transatlantic Foreign and Security Policy, Freie Universität Berlin. Marilynn B. Brewer is professor in the Department of Psychology, Ohio State University.

This original work explores the increasingly important phenomenon of the formation of transnational identity. Considering the ongoing relevance of the European Union, the contributors ask a series of intriguing questions: Is a European identity possible? How are the various types of European identity formed and maintained? How are these identities linked to the process of European integration? Combining a rich array of theoretical and methodological perspectives, distinguished scholars examine both the theoretical understanding of why and how transnational identities form and new empirical evidence drawn from an impressive body of primary research, including field experiments, in-depth interviews with elites, and public opinion surveys. The authors engage in a fruitful dialogue about how much a European identity exists and how much it matters as they delve into the sources of disagreement and their implications.

Chapter 1 Identity and Institutions: Becoming European in the EU Part 2 Part I: The Social Psychology of Identity Change Chapter 3 Identity Change in the Context of the Growing Influence of European Union Institutions Chapter 4 European Identity: A Social-psychological Perspective Chapter 5 National Differences and European Plurality: Discrimination or Tolerance between European Countries Part 6 Part II: Identity within the EU Institutions at the Elite Level Chapter 7 The European Union and Its Institutions as "Identity Builders" Chapter 8 National and Transnational Identities: European and Other Identities Constructed in Interviews with EU Officials Chapter 9 EU Correspondents in Brussels: Between Europe and the Nation-State Part 10 European Identity among Non-elites Chapter 11 More than Nationals: How Identity Choice Matters in the New Europe Chapter 12 Civic and Cultural Components of a European Identity: A Pilot Model of Measurement of Citizens' Levels of European Identity Chapter 13 Europe Viewed from Below: Agents, Victims, and the Threat of the Other Part 14 Part IV: Comparisons and Lessons Chapter 15 European Institutions and Identity Change: What Have We Learned?