Exploring the emotional appeal of green and social Europe myths among pan-European Union organizations

This paper aims to advance European integration research by exploring the emotional appeal of political myths in day-to-day EU politics with a special focus on the reception and reproduction of myths among pan-European Union non-governmental organisations. I investigate myths associated with ‘EUROPE 2020: a European strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth’, adopted in early 2010. What makes Europe 2020 especially interesting here is that it draws upon and feeds into a number of myths about European integration including ‘green Europe’ and ‘social Europe’. The paper argues that: (1) pan-EU NGOs are receptive to political myths, including in the short term; (2) pan-EU NGOs contribute to the reproduction of myths, especially already-institutionalised myths and myths that resonate with their sectoral activities; and (3) pan-EU NGOs strategically use political myths to justify policy positions and continually mobilise desires around utopian ideals to secure organisational survival.