Hungarian National Identity during the Period of European Integration

Only abstract. Paper copies of master’s theses are listed in the Helka database (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Electronic copies of master’s theses are either available as open access or only on thesis terminals in the Helsinki University Library.Vain tiivistelmä. Sidottujen gradujen saatavuuden voit tarkistaa Helka-tietokannasta (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Digitaaliset gradut voivat olla luettavissa avoimesti verkossa tai rajoitetusti kirjaston opinnäytekioskeilla.Endast sammandrag. Inbundna avhandlingar kan sökas i Helka-databasen (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Elektroniska kopior av avhandlingar finns antingen öppet på nätet eller endast tillgängliga i bibliotekets avhandlingsterminaler.As the title of this Master’s Thesis implies, ’Hungarian National Identity during the Period of European Integration’ deals with the development of Hungarian national identity since the country regained its independence in 1989. The study utilizes the aid of existing qualitative data, studies made earlier on the subject by other scholars and interviews made for the purpose of this Thesis in establishing the changes Hungarian national identity has undergone in the past twelve years. National identity is a broad historical concept and aspects that reach into history cannot be outlined from the realm of this study. This Thesis attempts to define those terms that are mostly implied to when nation, identity, national identity and Hungarian national identity are conversed of. The theoretical bases of this work are established studies of national identity. The main writings used are the following: A. Smith 'National Identity', P. Saukkonen 'Suomi, Alankomaat ja Kansallisvaltioiden Identiteettipolitiikka', and W. Bloom 'Personal Identity, National Identity and International Relations'. The foremost empirical literature used is: Csepeli, Örkény ja Székelyi 'Grappling with National Identity', several texts by K. Miklóssy that deal with Hungarian nationalism and the interviews, which I conducted in Helsinki and Budapest among six prominent Hungarians. Hungarian national identity has been affected by several different factors among the last decade. Among those factors are also important directions in the country’s foreign politics. On the other hand, EU-integration is a priority, on the other the enforcement of a historical and national self-image. EU-membership is seen as a continuation of Hungary’s thousand-year history as an integral part of Europe. The integration has also gained a new less ideological more economical role among its younger supporters. The EU is seen as a economical Union that will bring stabiltity and and prosperity to Hungarians. The other important direction of foreign politics is relations with neighbouring countries and Hungarians living in Romania and Slovenia among others. The current government has tried to implement a Status-law, which would give these people rights inside Hungary. However, this direction has been called populist and it might end up conflicting with the priority of EU-integration