The Meaning of Europe : Variety and Contention Within and Among Nations

Mention the word Europe in today's society and you are greeted with a range of responses, from impassioned debate, to scepticism and outright hostility. Yet long before the emergence of the modern European Union, the concept of Europe played a vital role in the creation of national identity. This book considers the wealth of contemporary and historical attitudes towards Europe and how these vary both within and between nation-states.Why are some countries 'Europhiles' whilst others are 'Europhobic'? How has Europe alternately been perceived as a threat to local culture and identity or as the core of nation-building? Why are individual responses to Europe so diverse? Comparing and contrasting experiences from twelve very different countries, the authors explore the multitude of ways in which established national discourses are reconciled with an emerging identity within the EU. In doing so, this book makes an important contribution to what has proved to be one of the most controversial and heated debates of our time. Introduction: The National Meaning Of Europe / Mikael Af Malmborg And Bo Stråth -- Irony Of Symbolic Reciprocities : The Greek Meaning Of 'europe' As A Historical Inversion Of The European Meaning Of 'greece' / Constantine Tsoukalas -- Dual Appeal Of 'europe' In Italy / Mikael Af Malmborg -- 'europeanism' Versus 'africanism' : 'europe' As A Symbol Of Modernity And Democratic Renewal In Spain / Pablo Jáuregui -- Us Or Them? The Meaning Of Europe In British Political Discourse / Piers Ludlow -- Swedish Demarcation To Europe / Bo Stråth -- On The Brink Or In-between? The Conception Of Europe In Finnish Indentity / Henrik Meinander -- Europe's Eastern Outpost? The Meanings Of Europe' In Baltic Discourses / Klas-göran Karlsson -- From The Ussr To Gorbachev To Putin : Perestroika As A Failed Excursion From 'the West' To 'europe' In Russian Discourse / Iver B. Neumann -- Complex Of An Unwanted Child : The Meanings Of Europe In Polish Discourse / Barbara Törnquist-plewa -- Czech Discourse On Europe, 1848-1948 / Miroslav Hroch -- A.e.i.o.u. : Austria Europae Imago, Onus, Unio? / Gilbert Weiss -- Continuities And Changes Of Europe In German National Identity / Willfried Spohn -- Meanings Of Europe In French National Discourse : A French Europe Or An Europeanized France? / Robert Frank. Edited By Mikael Af Malmborg And Bo Stråth. Includes Bibliographical References. Mention the word Europe in today's society and you are greeted with a range of responses, from impassioned debate, to scepticism and outright hostility. Yet long before the emergence of the modern European Union, the concept of Europe played a vital role in the creation of national identity. This book considers the wealth of contemporary and historical attitudes towards Europe and how these vary both within and between nation-states. Why are some countries 'Europhiles' whilst others are 'Europho bic'? How has Europe alternately been perceived as a threat to local culture and identity or as th