’Europeism’ kontra ’Balkanism’

This paper adresses key issues of constructions and ideas of our social reality in relation to the international political organisation. Through constructivist analyses this paper highlights and contrast two identity contructions which are of great relevance for the European integration of today. By definig the main charachters of the persistant and condemning discourse of Balkanism and the young and somewhat diffused discourse of Europeanism, my findings have shown that such constructions of identity are strongly touched upon the shapings of an international political order and that they have a reflexive relationship to one-another. The paper sets out some points of examples how the the construction about in what way the Balkans have been produced over time and by that it is becomes clear that Western Europe has identified itself in adjustment of what Balkan is not. These identity constructions show that they are in need of a reconstruction if the integration with the EU on the region will be able accure. The disparaging imaginations about the Balkans will increase with the speed of the European integration- and enlargement processes