Social Policy — Constructing European Identity

TLDR: In this article, the authors focused on the Commission social dimension discourse, an area with great border-transforming potential given the role the welfare state played in the establishment of the borders of the traditional order.

Abstract: This chapter is focused on the Commission social dimension discourse, an area with great border-transforming potential given the role the welfare state played in the establishment of the borders of the traditional order. It argues that this policy field transforms identity borders. The key characteristic of the identity borders constructed through the Commission social dimension discourse is that they are more open and flexible in comparison to traditional ones. The examination of the Commission discourse reveals that despite the de-bordering trend towards the establishment of a common European social space, there are also border construction and reconstruction dynamics. These are a result of the EU social policy governance structure, which restricts the Commission’s ability to promote de-bordering.