De Maastricht ao Brexit: a formação da identidade coletiva britânica no processo de integração europeia

Abstract

The study of identity is essential to understand the legitimacy and support for the deepening of the regional integration process. In view of this, this paper presents a constructivist analysis of the British identity formation in relation to the process of European integration. For this, it starts with the theoretical basis of Constructivism in International Relations. Then, the British political history is described from a historical perspective in the process of European integration, from the end of World War II, in 1945, to the outcome of the British referendum on the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union, in the year of 2016. Finally, we analyze the elements that influence approximations and retractions between the identification of the United Kingdom with the European Union and evaluation of the feeling of belonging to the bloc.