Is Europe Converging on Constitutional Patriotism? (And If So: Is It Justified?)

In public justifications, but even more in state practice, it is argued that European countries are converging on a notion of membership and political attachment that is best theorized in terms of the category of constitutional patriotism. What once appeared as a highly idiosyncratic construct for the very specific situation of post-war West Germany is now becoming an accepted norm and practice across Western Europe at least. A number of specific empirical research questions are suggested that would allow this thesis to be tested. However, regardless of whether there is any convergence on constitutional patriotism empirically, it is argued that normatively such a convergence would be justified.