European identity through space — How to make public opinion instrumental

Abstract

Space could significantly contribute to the creation of a European identity. This is obvious screening the articles in this volume and was demonstrated in the course of the “European Identity Through Space” conference held at ESPI on 12–13 November 2009, when several case studies were presented on this subject. Space, with its numerous applications, has become an integral part of everyday life, including arts, exploration, security, defence and the economy. This article aims at extending this debate on European identity through space to the sphere of public opinion. Space will only make its way into the formation of European identity if the European people are able to identify themselves with space applications, increase loyalty towards space research and at the same time profit on a personal level from the benefits of its use. The article therefore focuses on two main points: firstly, it recalls once again the importance of the space sector for a better understanding of the European identity and, secondly, it introduces a so-called participative component of European identity.