Framing Europe: Eurosceptic Cues and Citizen Attitudes

• Applicant: Dr. Galina Zapryanova
• Subject Area: Political Science
• Term: from 2015 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 280811994

The central goal of this project is to study and explain how different types of elite Euroscepticism affect citizen attitudes. The subject of Euroscepticism has attracted significant attention in recent years given the more politicized nature of European integration. While Euroscepticism has traditionally been a hallmark posture of the political fringe, centrist and other mainstream parties have increasingly adopted Eurosceptic rhetoric into their political communications for electoral and legislative gains in national and European elections. Despite the expanded range of actors that disseminate Eurosceptic messages, we know little about the role of different types of Eurosceptic messages and different types of messengers in shaping public opinion. On one hand, Euroscepticism is a major component of identity politics where elites leverage issues of national identity, immigration and multiculturalism to portray European integration as a threat to the nation state and its cultural traditions. On the other hand, claims that the EU is undemocratic, its policymakers unaccountable and its institutions remote, are on the rise, as are concerns that powerful member states impose their favoured policies on weaker states without deference to public opinion. Finally, critiques of the EU from an economic standpoint are another type of commonly employed Eurosceptic rhetoric especially in the aftermath of the economic and financial crisis. All Eurosceptic messages are critical of European integration; they do not all vilify similar aspects of European Union. It is important to scrutinize more carefully the content of different messages about the EU and their potential consequences for European citizens. Secondly, previous research into elite cues has generally focused on the direction of the message rather than the messenger. Despite the expanded range of actors that disseminate Eurosceptic messages, we know little about the role of different messengers in shaping public opinion. Eurosceptic messages do not exist in isolation; they are inextricably linked toa particular messenger. Little is known, however, about how different political actors vary in their ability to influence public opinion by criticizing the EU. Given the range of political actors that employ Eurosceptic communications and the breadth of its effects, it is important to investigate whether and how variation in the source of these messages systematically influences public opinion.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants