Debating Europe

Overview & Synopsis

This book examines how Europe and the European Union are debated, politicised, and contested in a group of key (future) actors of European integration. Based on detailed focus group discussions with students in EU studies and the social sciences in six EU countries, the book presents the core results of the theoretical, conceptual, and empirical work of the Jean Monnet Networks "Debating Europe" (www.debating-europe.de) that set out to study the gap between the EU and its citizens. The following chapters first theorise and conceptualise the gap, to then present the core empirical findings from the collective research. These findings show that students’ views on democracy in the EU are similar across the countries. Quite unexpectedly, students express strong claims to the EU, lining out a “Normative Power Europe 2.0” that is a global actor, defends democracy, and fights climate change. The EU is associated with values such as equality, freedom, and the rule of law. In particular, non-EU citizens see the EU as an ideal. Students make out several gaps: between citizens and EU institutions, among different member states, and among citizens. Finally, the results reveal the students as critical and informed, but passive EU citizens. This book is of key interest to scholars and students of European studies and EU integration studies, social and political sciences, and international relations.