Scientists call on EU to focus on European values

In a world full of conflict and divisions, Western ideas about democracy and human rights are increasingly contested. Some scientists warn that European values are losing their power, not only globally, but within the EU itself, and that this trend could have a potentially destabilising effect on the continent. 

“We are moving away from a world in which we shared common values to a world where values are much more divisive,” says Christian Jantzen, professor of communication and psychology at Aalborg University. “We can no longer count on the world wanting European values, such as liberty, equality, democracy and social justice, to serve as the basis for their development.” 

It is crucial to discuss and define shared human values, stresses Ben Dorfman, associate professor of intellectual and cultural history at Aalborg University. “Internationally, we find ourselves divided and we feel this. There are many lines of conflict between and within nations, but there is also conflict between identity groups without clear borders. Many feel uncertainty about what the future will bring and whether we will get what our societies have promised us. Anxiety breeds division.” 

The consensus is broken

In many European countries, there is a clear tension between elites and masses, a division that closely relates to the rise of the populist movement across Europe, point out the scientists. “Today’s politics is not based on values,” remarks Jantzen. “A large share of today’s population is drawn to populist parties, who often present themselves as ‘the voice of the people’ and attack the elite of a country by saying that they are out of touch with the concerns of so-called ordinary citizens.” 

In recent years, Europe has indeed experienced a significant rise in populism, which has created new social and political tensions, leading to polarisation and undermining democratic norms. This development shows that “our consensus on human values and rights has broken down,” adds Dorfman. “We are in deep disagreement about how to best realise human rights. Populist parties argue for basic rights of ‘regular’ people – the right to national identity, to a dignified retirement and to a cultural life that they recognise. On the other side, people argue that the rights of asylum seekers are violated and that the right of academics to speak freely has been impinged. This means there are many conflicts in which we argue about who is the one most left behind and that generates anger. This needs to be addressed.” 

While the EU is in “a relatively good shape compared to the rest of the world”, it’s crucial to ensure that Europe’s commitment to human rights values is upheld, especially when it comes to democratic participation, free speech and free press, warns Dorfman. “We need to create policies that create as much popular involvement in democracy as possible.” 

Pan-European bonds are weakening

Not addressing this issue is potentially very dangerous for the EU, adds Dorfman. “There might be divisions so wide that parts of Europe fall off, with Brexit being the obvious example. That is the danger of not addressing divisions. It leads to a lack of belonging to Europe.” 

In a pan-EU survey by Eurobarometer, almost three quarters of respondents (74%) said they feel they are citizens of the EU and over half of Europeans said the EU embodies respect for fundamental rights and values, freedom of speech and expression and social equality and welfare. Moreover, recent data shows that 52% of Europeans tend to trust the EU. Yet, that suggests nearly half of the population may be distrustful of the EU and the values it’s based on. 

“It’s a major challenge for the EU to deal with a part of its own population that is sceptical of European values,” stresses Jantzen. “This puts pressure on the EU because the Union is based on values that not all people consider the most important anymore. European countries need to find a new narrative to reconcile this difference, a narrative where all people can share the same values, because the EU without human values is not an EU worth living in.” 

According to Jantzen, it is social sciences, arts and humanities (SSAH) that should play a major role in developing this new narrative. “We need to focus on humans to create a future that is good for humans. We need to know what kind of new narratives are appealing and how they should be disseminated, and this knowledge comes from SSAH.” 

“We need many different types of knowledge to uphold good living standards and open societies,” adds Dorfman. “Human rights relate to our values and our imagination of one another. These are philosophical, cultural and historical issues and a matter of communication. That is what SSAH bring in. SSAH represent the foundation of a larger social conversation that we need to have.” 

Human Values conference 

Human values in today’s divided world and the role of SSAH in addressing this issue will be a key topic at the Human Values and Grand Challenges conference, hosted by Aalborg University on December 1-2, 2025 in Copenhagen as part of Denmark's Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The public conference, which is promoting inclusion of human values and relevant SSAH, is designed to bring forward specific recommendations on how to achieve a more human-centric research and innovation in Europe.