Minority Youth and their perceptions of borders and the EU

Abstract

This report examines how young adults from national minority communities in European border regions perceive borders, Europe, and the European Union (EU), drawing on research conducted within the B-SHAPES project. Through semi-structured interviews and zine-making workshops with participants aged 18–31 across five case studies—South Tyrol (Italy–Austria), Zaolzie/Těšín Silesia (Poland–Czechia), North and South Schleswig (Denmark–Germany), Southern Slovakia (Hungary–Slovakia), and Western Thrace (Greece–Bulgaria–Türkiye)—the study provides bottom-up insights into everyday experiences of borders and European integration. The findings reveal a marked divergence between minority media narratives, which often portray borders in politicized or securitized terms, and the more pragmatic, functional views expressed by young people. For most participants, borders are experienced as open, ordinary, and opportunity-enhancing, shaped by Schengen mobility and cross-border routines, though cultural and linguistic differences remain salient symbolic boundaries. Episodic disruptions, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, exposed the fragility of this openness and reinforced young people’s reliance on mobility. Perceptions of Europe and the EU were similarly pragmatic: youth valued concrete benefits—free movement, educational mobility, and regional funding—more than symbolic identification, contributing to a form of banal Europeanism. While some viewed the EU as a guarantor of minority protection, skepticism persisted regarding its consistency and effectiveness. Strong regional and minority identities often superseded national or European ones. Overall, the study shows that minority youth normalize European integration in daily life yet articulate limited emotional attachment to the EU, underscoring both the resilience and vulnerability of Europe’s borderlands and the importance of integrating youth perspectives into future European policy and narratives.