More, Europe
Resilient, Strong
Safe, Free
Notions to learn:
Politization, Active Borders, Dialogical Remembering
2. 12. 2025
www.karelmuller.eu
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POLITICISATION of the European Union
•Policy without Politics (EU) x Politics without Policy
•Weak Public Sphere, Weak Collective Identity, Weak Narrative
•Absence of Opposition (Alternatives) – Unanimity principle
•Voting system in the Council of the EU
•EU Commission or High Representative Proposals: Double (Qualified) Majority (55% of MS – 15 out of
27, and 65% of Citizens)
•Member state proposal: Reinforced Qualified Majority (72% of MS and 65% of Citizens
•The blocking minority must include at least four MS representing more than 35% of the EU
population
•Lisbon Treaty  (2009)       Citizens´ Initiative (2012)

Active Borders as Key Tools of Democratization/Europeanization
Civil Society Dimensions and their Europeanization


BORDERS ARE SCARS OF THE PAST
> Obsah obrázku text Popis byl vytvořen automaticky

Vinu neseme na obou stranách a kostlivce ve skříni má každý. Euroregiony ukazují, jak ty jizvy
léčit – jak se s tím vyrovnat.

Active Borders x Passive Borders



BORDERing, ORDERing, OTHERing
•WHY BORDERS?
•BORDERS (CZ/DE)
•POLARISATION, BARRIERS, THREAT,
•INSTABILITY
•ACTIVE BORDERS
•POST WWII
•STABILITY & DEVELOPMENT
•DIFFERANTIATION WITHOUT POLARIZATION
(PDF) Generations and the ‘Development’ of Border Studies

Active Border – Main Features
MÜLLER, Karel B in  Alternatives 2018  43 (3):  119–136. DOI: 10.1177/0304375418822894.

•Very porous, open but still discernible border, border as an opportunity, as a discursive space
•Generates the feeling of unity (attachment) and at the same time allows
communicating/understanding diversity and plurality
•Deters/alleviates polarisation between „us“ and „them“
•Constitute cognitive resources for public learning, and for dialog-like dealing with the past
•Strengthens a European (civil/inclusive, positive ) identity
•Requires a thick infrastructure of CBC

Reflective Relationships of Borders, Collective Identities, Dynamics of Social Inclusion/Exclusion
and Knowledge


Active Borders
Passive Borders
Civil Code of Collective Identity
Sacred Code Collective Identity
Positive Identity/Complementarity
Negative Identity/Discrimination
Inclusion/Integration
Exclusion/Fragmentation
Self/Gratification
Frustration
Unity in Diversity, Homogenisation,
Hybridisation
Polarisation
Cognitive Cultural Aspects
Symbolic and Moral Cultural Aspects
Others Oriented
Polarity Us/Them
Fact/Reasoning Oriented
Foreclosure
Future Oriented/DIALOGICAL FORGETTING
Past Oriented/MONOLOGICAL NARRATIVES
Critical Knowledge
Stereotyping
Competence/Cooperation
Exploitation/Refusal
Open Opportunity Structure
Closed Opportunity Structure
Life Politics
Identity Politics
Reflexive Modernisation (this and this)
Simple Modernisation (either/or)
Proper Distance
„Too Far“ or „Too Close“

Make history history



Dialogical
•Reflexive
•Nonreflexive
•
•Monological

Dealing with the Past



http://grial4.usal.es/MIH/euroregions/en/resources/crossborder.png



WHEN THE FIRST EUROREGION APPEARED?
•The origins of cross-border cooperation date back to the period after the Second World War, when
it began to develop mainly on the border between Germany and the Netherlands.
•In 1958, EUREGIO was founded around Gronau on the German-Dutch border: the first advanced
institutional form of cross-border cooperation.
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Jak to začalo?




EU BUS



European Identity
•Aspiration for complementary and multiple positive identities
•