European Narratives and Euroscepticism in the Western Balkans and the EU

Manuela Caiani, Benedetta Carlotti, Marko Lovec, Adam Balcer, Maria Wincławska, Faris Kočan

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2024
• Print ISBN: 9781032663722
• eBook ISBN: 9781040002384
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Politica e relazioni internazionali
• Subtopic: Sociologia

Moving from a social movement perspective, this timely volume examines narratives on Euroscepticism and frames on Europe from below, at the party and social movement levels. Revealing perspectives from both the Right and the Left, it unpacks the emergence, re-emergence and increase in critical 'voices' and opposition towards Europe.

Based on extensive fieldwork in two candidate countries for accession to the EU and three member states, it offers insight from analysis of focus groups, interviews with Eurosceptic and pro-European political actors and ordinary citizens, together with frame analysis and scrutiny of archival material, electoral manifestoes and organisational documents. Revealing the development of Eurocritical frames, it demonstrates the differences and similarities in narratives used to address Europe and the conceptualisation of Euroscepticism. Key cases examined include the rise of illiberalism in post-transition Slovenia; complex Euroscepticism in Poland; the path from strong support to harsh opposition in Italy; indecision over membership in North Macedonia; anticipating the future while revisiting the past in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Offering guidelines for the direction of future research and policy, European Narratives and Euroscepticism in the Western Balkans and the EU is essential reading for scholars and students of political sociology, political science, European studies and international relations, as well as policy makers concerned with trajectories pro and against Europe and the European integration process.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Endorsements
• Half Title
• Series
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• List of figures
• List of tables
• List of abbreviations
• 1 European narratives and Euroscepticism: An introduction
• 2 Our cases: setting the context of political and cultural opportunities for Eurosceptic narratives
• 3 A poorly contested entry to the EU, external shocks and the rise of illiberalism in Slovenia
• 4 If you scratch the surface: Euroscepticism in Poland
• 5 From strong support to harsh opposition to the EU: the case of Italy
• 6 To join or not to join?: The case of North Macedonia
• 7 Anticipating the (European) future while revisiting the (troubled) past: the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina
• 8 Conclusion: varieties of Euroscepticism: between parties and social movements, Left and Right, old and “newer” members
• References
• Appendix
• Index