The Politicization of Europe - Contesting the Constitution in the Mass Media

This book explores EU-constitution making in relation to the contested nature of the EU-polity and the social responsiveness of the citizens and people in Europe and demonstrates that media communication is central to comprehend the scope of legitimacy of the European Union. The authors argue that it is necessary to analyze the Europeanisation of the existing media and public spaces within the member states in order to understand how European constitutional politics are mediated and contested. The chapters are drawn from a comparative case study on ratification as a period of intense politicization on EU constitutional affairs. They examine the main political actors and institutions in their role as public mediators of EU constitutional politics and they deliver a systematic assessment of constitutional debates in quality newspapers as one of the principal arenas where the legitimacy of the EU is negotiated. This book will be of strong interest to students and scholars of comparative politics, media studies, communication, sociology and European studies.

1. Introduction: The European Union’s Search for a Public: Constitution-Making and Evolving Dynamics of the European Public Sphere Paul Statham and Hans-Jörg Trenz Part 1: Public Communication Aims and Strategies for the European Constitution: European Institutions, Parties and NGOs 2. The European Constitution’s Public: Author of the Constitution or Passive Subject of Constitutionalisation? John-Erik Fossum and Agustín José Menéndez 3. The Role, Performance and Perceived Outcomes of the EU Institutions’ Communication Policies Asimina Michailidou 4. The Role of Political Parties: From Consensus to Contention? Ben Crum 5. National NGOs’ Mobilization Efforts and Their Perceived Outcomes: Civil Society Pressure? Paul Statham and Hans-Jörg Trenz Part 2: Mass Mediated Political Communication over the European Constitution in Britain, Germany, France and Spain: Mutual Observation and Transnational Diffusion? 6. Studying the Europeanisation of Political Communication from Mediated Discourse: The Political Claims-Making Approach Paul Statham and Hans-Jörg Trenz 7. Mediated Discourse and Political Claims over the European Constitution in Britain Julie Firmstone and Paul Statham 8. Mediated Discourse and Political Claims over the European Constitution in Germany Erik Jentges and Hans-Jörg Trenz 9. Mediated Discourse and Political Claims over the European Constitution in France Hans-Jörg Trenz and Regina Vetters 10. Mediated Discourse and Political Claims over the European Constitution in Spain Fernando Losado Fraga and Agustín José Menéndez 11. Transnational Diffusion and Resonance across Mediated Discourses over the European Constitution in France, Germany, Britain and Spain: A European Echo? Paul Statham, Hans-Jörg Trenz and Regina Vetters 12. Conclusion: Towards a European Public Sphere? Transnational Diffusion Processes and Future Prospects for a European Public Paul Statham and Hans-Jörg Trenz