Forging an EU-Identity through popular sports

Bachelor Thesis from the year 2012 in the subject Politics - General and Theories of International Politics grade: 20 University of the Federal Armed Forces München language: English abstract: This thesis aims at responding to the question to what extent popular sport can make a contribution to the genesis the implementation and the fostering of a mutually acknowledged and experienced EU-identity. With sport being the major social movement in Europe - unique in its efficiency in bringing people together being a drive for integration bridging any kind of borders and its nonpareil ubiquity - its implementation on a European level targeting the European Union people through popular sports will sustainably and remarkably promote the idea of an EU-identity. As an example for a small but utterly profound project the idea of a European Sports Badge (EUSB) is presented as a transnationally implementable proposal involving and addressing EU-citizens of all nations sexes and ages. It should be noted though that sports are certainly not a panacea.