The article attempts to demonstrate the challenges for the development of European
ide
ntity, which are also related to the erosion of spiritual capital on which Europe was
initially built. The intensity of identifications with the European space
significantly
depends on the active participation in European transnational social fields, where
circulation of social and cultural capital through transnational networks, institutions and
cognitive frames substantially influences the existence of the European (transnational)
habitus and accordingly the identifications. Further, the structural and cu
ltural aspects of
national social contexts are considered, implied by both the national structural
-
cultural
specifics and the overall levels of national economic and cognitive development that
may affect the levels and
the
ways in which individuals are abl
e to participate in the
European transnational social fields and identify with Europe. Using a hierarchical two
-
level, non
-
linear regression analysis the authors confirm the relevance of being included
in transnational social fields at the individual level
and demonstrate that the national
context (particularly in terms of human development) does play a certain role in
identifying oneself as European