European Public Spheres
Politics Is Back

This book examines the emergence of (and limitations to) a common European public sphere and the advantages and problems surrounding this development.

Thomas Risse (Edited by)

9781107441637, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 13 November 2014

314 pages, 24 b/w illus. 26 tables
22.8 x 15.1 x 1.5 cm, 0.51 kg

'In European Public Spheres, Thomas Risse has gathered the best scholars in the field. They take stock and show with a variety of different methods that Europeanization takes place - yet not in the form of a new, supranational layer, but rather as politicization of the EU in already existing spheres. Moreover, the volume significantly improves our understanding of the relationship between Europeanization and European identity. A splendid book on the rise of societal foundations for a new polity.' Michael Zürn, WZB (Social Science Center Berlin) and Freie Universität Berlin

The Euro crisis has led to an unprecedented Europeanization and politicization of public spheres across the continent. In this volume, leading scholars make two claims. First, they suggest that transnational crossborder communication in Europe has been encouraged through the gradual Europeanization of national as well as issue-specific public spheres. Second, the politicization of European affairs - at the European Union (EU) level and in the domestic politics of member states - is inevitable and here to stay. Europeanized public spheres, whether elite media, mass media, or social media such as the internet, provide the arenas in which the politicization of European and EU issues takes place. European Public Spheres explores the history of these developments, the nature of politicization in the public spheres as well as its likely consequences, and the normative implications for European public life.

1. Introduction Thomas Risse
Part I. How to Grasp the Europeanization of Public Spheres: Theory, Methods, Empirics: 2. Theorizing communication flows within a European public sphere Barbara Pfetsch and Annett Heft
3. How advanced is the Europeanization of public spheres? Comparing German and European structures of political communication Ruud Koopmans
4. National media as transnational discourse arenas: the case of humanitarian military interventions Cathleen Kantner
5. European issue publics online: the cases of climate change and fair trade W. Lance Bennett, Sabine Lang and Alexandra Segerberg
Part II. Consequences: Does the Europeanization of Public Spheres Matter?: 6. European public spheres, the politicization of EU affairs, and its consequences Thomas Risse
7. Media and identity: the paradox of legitimacy and the making of European citizens Sarah Harrison and Michael Bruter
8. The restructuring of political conflict in Europe and the politicization of European integration Edgar Grande and Hanspeter Kriesi
Part III. Theoretical and Normative Implications: 9. Identity, Europe and the world beyond public spheres Jeffrey T. Checkel
10. Democracy, identity, and European public spheres Andreas Follesdal.

Subject Areas: Constitution: government & the state [JPHC]