The 'Perfect European': An Impossible Dream?Author(s): Bryan T. PeckSource: The Phi Delta Kappan, Vol. 77, No. 5 (Jan., 1996), p. 389Published by: Phi Delta Kappa InternationalStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20405589 .

Accessed: 24/06/2014 23:01

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

.

Phi Delta Kappa International is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The PhiDelta Kappan.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 185.2.32.46 on Tue, 24 Jun 2014 23:01:26 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

IN EUROPE BY BRYAN T. PECK

The 'Perfect European'. An Impossible Dream? A S THE European Union (EU) ex

pands and new frameworks are established for developing the European dimension in all lev els of education, the expectation

is that national barriers will continue to be eroded away. The focus on education is especially important when one consid ers the high proportion of young people now living in the different member states. Although the "graying of Europe" is a sig nificant phenomenon, we cannot ignore the fact that approximately one-third of the European population is under 25.

An important step toward achieving the educational aim of eroding barriers is to link schools, colleges, and universities through networks. These networks are being sup ported by EU funding and will enable par ticipants to share expertise and experience

with regard to a range of topics related to the European dimension. Matters of pupil and teacher exchanges receive high pri ority, as does the development of links be tween schools and universities. Behind such activity is the important matter of break ing down stereotypes, national prejudices, and intolerance - all related to a lack of direct knowledge, contact, and communi cation. It will be obvious, therefore, why recent and current EU legislation has in creasingly supported a number of educa tional initiatives designed to promote the opportunities available for young people to work together.

Despite all these efforts, a range of ev idence supports the conclusion that it may

well take some time for national stereo typing to disappear (if, indeed, it ever will).

One of the more substantial studies, which focused on civic morals across Europe,

was conducted by the European Value Sys tems Study Group, a network of academ ics who surveyed nearly 19,000 individ uals about their attitudes toward 10 "anti social" activities. Respondents in each of

the EU countries were asked to what ex tent they felt the activities listed could be justified. The list included such matters as claiming state benefits to which one was unentitled, avoiding fares on public transport, cheating on taxes, joy riding, ac cepting a bribe, littering the environment, and driving while drunk.

The results, published in 1992, sug gested that the Portuguese were Europe's biggest fare dodgers, that the Swedes were the greatest litterers, and that the Belgians

were considered to be the most prominent tax cheats! By contrast, the Danes were seen to be the most righteous of all Europe's citizens.

What is significant, of course, is the continued inclination to assume the exis tence of some kind of national character or characteristic and to regard the behav ior of another group or "nation" as homo geneous. This feature also emerged quite clearly from the studies of a research team from the University of Utrecht that inves tigated attitudes on stereotypes and nation al characteristics. Nearly 300 students in secondary (high) schools located in Den

mark, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Unit ed Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands participated. They were invited to indicate, on a scale of zero to 100%, how well peo ple from different countries fit 22 charac teristics.

The students collectively characterized Danes as being particularly efficient, con fident, life-loving, proud, and honest. The English were viewed as particularly un emphatic, aggressive, egoistic, and indus trious - and the Germans were seen to be self-confident, dominant, and aggressive. The Italians were universally characterized as helpful, emphatic, and life-loving.

A related survey, and the first study in

nearly 20 years of English children's at titudes toward Europeans, was conduct ed by a researcher in London and pub lished in 1993 in the British Journal of

Developmental Psychology. Martyn Bar rett questioned more than 200 children in primary schools west of London. Perhaps the most encouraging finding was that the children became less prejudiced as they became older and better informed. Those between 5 and 7 years of age, however, saw Spaniards as "sunburned, happy, clean, poor, and lazy" and the French as "sun burned, rich, clean, clever, and hard-work ing." Germans were considered to be the villains of Europe and "white, rich, clean, hard-working, and aggressive."

Those readers who have the opportu nity to visit Brussels may come across a postcard that characterizes the "perfect European." The perfect European should be as technical as a Portuguese, humble as a Spaniard, available as a Belgian, con trolled as an Italian, organized as a Greek, sober as the Irish, humorous as a German, generous as a Dutchman, famous as a Lux embourger, and discreet as a Dane. The "perfect European" should also drive like the French and cook like a Brit.

Readers may make of this what they will. The Scots (and I write from Scot land) have been described as "tall, rugged

people who live in the mountain vast nesses of their native land, on a diet of oatmeal and whisky. They wear kilts of tartan weave, [play] a deafening musical instrument called the bagpipe, are immense ly hospitable but cautious with money....

They are sparing with words, but when they speak they speak the truth."

The "truth" may not always be what is reported by others but may lie instead in the eye of the beholder. What does seem clear is that primary (elementary) school is a key time to affect children's ideas about foreigners and that there is nothing better than to encourage direct contact, connections, and exchanges of all kinds. This is what the European Commission is intent on doing. It remains to be seen how quickly attitudes will change and how soon the stereotypes will become diluted. K

BRYAN T PECK is a member of the Fac ulty of Education, Jordanhill Campus, Uni versity of Strathclyde, and was for many years chairman of the United Kingdom Section of the European Association of Teachers.

JANUARY 1996 389

This content downloaded from 185.2.32.46 on Tue, 24 Jun 2014 23:01:26 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions