Feeling European? The EU as an emotional community

This article explores the importance of emotions in the European Union (EU), highlighting their role in shaping the EU's self-image as a foreign policy actor and promoting social cohesion through emotion norms. Emotion norms are shared feeling rules that underpin collective identities and experiences within a group. Focusing on grief as an example, the article explains how it shapes the EU as an emotional community. By analyzing the EU in this way, the study examines how emotion norms help members navigate norm violations. The findings enhance our understanding of the EU's emotional dynamics, shedding light on the contested nature of solidarity and public discourse. The article also critically reflects on the relevance of grief in EU foreign policy, emphasizing the significance of emotions in shaping EU policy and offering insights into the role of emotion norms.