European Values: Rhetoric, Reality and Responsibility
Keywords:
european values, european identity, social responsibility citicenship and democracy, responsible freedom, interdisciplinary critiqueSynopsis
In recent decades, European values have become a central element of institutional discourse, policy frameworks, and educational narratives. However, their meaning, coherence, and social relevance are increasingly questioned. While often presented as shared moral foundations, these values appear progressively detached from citizens’ social competences, lived experiences, and collective responsibilities, while simultaneously drifting closer to economic rationales, managerial logic, and market-oriented priorities.
This eBook emerges from the conviction that Europe is currently facing a decisive moment. The gap between proclaimed values and social reality is no longer a theoretical concern but a tangible source of political disaffection, social fragmentation, and identity uncertainty. In this context, the construction of a meaningful and inclusive European identity cannot be reduced to legal frameworks or economic integration alone; it requires a profound re-examination of the values that are said to sustain it.
Adopting an interdisciplinary perspective that brings together education, law, sociology, and political analysis, this volume aims to critically explore what European values are, how they have been constructed, and how they are currently interpreted and applied. Rather than offering a closed or prescriptive definition, the eBook seeks to open a space for reflection, dialogue, and debate-questioning dominant narratives and examining the tensions between ideals, practices, and power structures.
Ultimately, this work is conceived as an invitation: an invitation to rethink European values beyond slogans, to reconnect them with social responsibility, civic competences, and collective well-being, and to contribute to a more conscious, democratic, and resilient Europe in an increasingly complex and uncertain world.
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