Limits of Cosmopolitanism? European Commission Officials on the Selves and Others

Abstract

With its institutional motto of unity in diversity, the European Union (EU) officially embraces a cosmopolitan outlook This article argues that this motto becomes reality within the institutions of the EU as the officials undergo a cosmopolitan transformation process by experiencing cultural diversity on a daily basis. This cosmopolitanism, however, is not without limits. The discussions on Turkey's EU candidacy are a case in point. By analyzing the discourses of Commission officials with regard to their own identity as well as their discourses on the Turkish elite, this article assesses the extent and limits of cosmopolitanism in the European Commission and its general implications for the EU.