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7 National and transnational public spheres: the case of the EU

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  • PETERS, BERNHARD
  • SIFFT, STEFANIE
  • WIMMEL, ANDREAS
  • BRÜGGEMANN, MICHAEL
  • KLEINEN-VON KÖNIGSLÖW, KATHARINA

Abstract

While many important social processes cut across national borders and have transnational institutions to regulate them, democratic participation still occurs almost exclusively within individual nation states. Public information and debate are essential ingredients of democracy, and their confinement to the individual national public sphere threatens the democratic aspirations and legitimacy of transnational institutions. Therefore, it is often argued that the European Union can only achieve greater legitimacy if there is a Europeanization of national public spheres. Has public discourse in fact Europeanized in the last decades? Here we present results from a study of major national newspapers from five European countries. Europeanization is defined in three dimensions: Europeanization of contents, Europeanization of public identities, and Europeanization of communication flows. Our results show that national public spheres are, in fact, quite resilient and that change is slow or halting. We discuss several possible explanations for this resilience, and go on to question the assumption that the legitimacy of European institutions depends on Europeanization of public discourse.

Suggested Citation

  • Peters, Bernhard & Sifft, Stefanie & Wimmel, Andreas & Brüggemann, Michael & Kleinen-Von Königslöw, Katharina, 2005. "7 National and transnational public spheres: the case of the EU," European Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(S1), pages 139-160, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:cup:eurrev:v:13:y:2005:i:s1:p:139-160_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Andrea Fracasso & Nicola Grassano & Giuseppe Vittucci Marzetti, 2015. "The Gravity of Foreign News Coverage in the EU: Does the Euro Matter?," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(2), pages 274-291, March.
    2. Fossum, John Erik & Trenz, Hans-Jörg, 2006. "When the people come in: Constitution-making and the belated politicisation of the European Union," European Governance Papers (EUROGOV) 3, CONNEX and EUROGOV networks.
    3. Wimmel, Andreas, 2005. "Transnationale Diskurse in der europäischen Medienöffentlichkeit: Die Debatte zum EU-Beitritt der Türkei," TranState Working Papers 29, University of Bremen, Collaborative Research Center 597: Transformations of the State.
    4. Brüggemann, Michael, 2005. "How the EU constructs the European public sphere: seven strategies of information policy," TranState Working Papers 19, University of Bremen, Collaborative Research Center 597: Transformations of the State.

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