From Political Ally to Technocratic Competitor - How the EU is Perceived by South African Public Opinion, Political Elites, Civil Society and the Media

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Fioramonti
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
South African ◽  
Political Elites ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Eu

Czech Public Opinion on Turkey's Accession to the EU: An Analysis through the Lenses of Sociological and Discursive Institutionalism*

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-95
Author(s):  
Pelin Ayan Musil
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Public Opinion ◽  
Media Coverage ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Public Support ◽  
Political Elite ◽  
Discursive Institutionalism ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Eu

While Turkey lacks significant levels of public support from the Czech Republic in its EU bid, the existing studies of European public opinion on the question of Turkey do not bring any reasonable explanation as to why this can be so. To shed light on this problem, this article offers an analytical framework derived from sociological and discursive institutionalism. First, it shows that the historical/cultural context in the Czech Republic has created an informal institution built around the norms of “othering” Muslim societies like Turkey (sociological institutionalism). Second, based on the media coverage of selected political issues from Turkey between 2005 and 2010, it argues that this institution both enables and constrains the “discursive ability” of the media in communicating these issues to its audience (discursive institutionalism). Since the media—as a political actor—mostly acts to maintain this institution and does not critically debate it, the public opinion of Turkey as the “cultural other” remains as a dominant perception. The official support of the political elite for Turkey's accession to the EU does not countervail the media influence, as this support is often not conveyed to the Czech public agenda.

scholarly journals Indian Elites and the EU as a Normative Power

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 105-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajendra K. Jain ◽  
Shreya Pandey
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Shared Values ◽  
Political Elites ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Eurozone Crisis ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Normative Power ◽  
Normative Identity ◽  
The Eu

AbstractDrawing on thirty face-to-face interviews with Indian business, civil society, media and political elites during the period from September 2011 to April 2012, this article seeks to examine the perceptions of Indian elites of the European Union as a normative power. It discusses the evolution of the concept of normative power and the evolution of the EU’s normative identity. It clearly outlines the expansion of the varied roles played by the EU in the course of assuming responsibilities in the capacity of civilian, ethical and normative power of Europe both within its borders and abroad. The article seeks to highlight the diverse external perceptions about the normative power of EU by focusing upon the elite opinion from India. The article captures the changing mood of the elites about the effectiveness of the normative power of the EU with the intensification of the eurozone crisis. It argues that the normative disconnect in worldviews, mindsets and practical agendas between India and the European Union has made it difficult to transform shared values into coordinated policies.

scholarly journals Can EU Civil Society Elites Burst the Brussels Bubble? Civil Society Leaders’ Career Trajectories

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 86-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jayeon Lindellee ◽  
Roberto Scaramuzzino
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Environmental Policy ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Elites ◽  
Leadership Positions ◽  
Career Trajectories ◽  
Revolving Doors ◽  
The Eu

The Brussels-based civil society organizations (CSOs) have been conceived by the EU to act as a bridge between the bureaucratic elites and the citizens of Europe. The institutionalized presence of the major EU-based CSOs has, however, called their legitimacy into question, as exemplified by notions such as ‘revolving doors’ implying homogeneous social, educational, and professional backgrounds shared by both EU officials and CSO leaders. This article therefore asks the following questions: To what extent do the leaders of EU-based CSOs merely reproduce the types of capital that mirror those of the political elites in the so-called ‘Brussels bubble’? To what extent do the CSO leaders bring in other sets of capital and forms of recognition that are independent of the Brussels game? How can we explain differences in the salience of EU capital found across policy areas, types of leadership positions, and types of organizations? Empirically, this article qualitatively analyzes the career trajectories of 17 leaders of EU-based peak CSOs that are active in social and environmental policy areas. Despite the highly integrated and institutionalized characteristics shared by all organizations, we find diversity in the composition of the leaders in terms of the extent to which their career trajectories are embedded in the EU arena.

scholarly journals Transformations in the Social Impact: Politics, Media, Social Networks

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-75
Author(s):  
Svetlana Alexandrova
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Public Opinion ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Political Elites ◽  
Public Attention ◽  
Communication Environment ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Media

The article analyzes the role of political elites and the media in shaping public opinion and the direction of public attention. Focusing on the transformations in the social impact under the influence of network culture in the online communication environment, it examines how the role of traditional structures of power is transformed, and how this affects political culture, the formation of public opinion, and its participation in socio-political life. Social networks are a means of dialogue and organization, and this requires political elites and the media to consult and comply with active public opinion in the online communication environment.

The media in the Spanish transition to democracy (1975–82)

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 121-138
Author(s):  
Javier Muñoz Soro
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Economic Inequality ◽  
Transition To Democracy ◽  
Media Consumption ◽  
Franco Regime ◽  
Spanish Society ◽  
Spanish Transition ◽  
The Media ◽  
The 1960S

The transformations in Spain from the 1960s onwards in relation to communication resulted in a new legislation that allowed a certain liberalization to try to legitimize the Franco regime. Despite the information repression, some media outlets (especially magazines) became channels for the dissemination of democratic ideas and spaces for debate. In addition, the lack of consolidation in the socialization of the values of the ‘18 of July’ in the first stages of the dictatorship led to a more successful technocratic socialization to favour the depoliticization and demobilization of Spanish society. The interpretations on how this communication pseudo-space was decisive, during the last years of the Franco regime, for the formation of public opinion in democratic Spain have not taken into account a significant factor that allows overcoming the opposition between the emergence of civil society and the persistence of some values from Francoism. This factor is the enormous disparity in culture and media consumption, with its reflection in education and, more generally, in economic inequality.

scholarly journals Analyzing Malaise and Mobilization: The Effects of Media on Political Support and European Identity in Old and New Member States

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 33-51
Author(s):  
Waqas Ejaz
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Media Coverage ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Political Support ◽  
European Identity ◽  
The Media ◽  
Recent Financial Crisis ◽  
Effects Of Media ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Eu

Abstract The recent financial crisis and the way it was handled by European Union (EU) received a great deal of media coverage, and since the media has a tendency to alter public opinion, it is safe to assume that it has affected some Europeans’ attitudes towards the EU. In order to test that assumption, a model was built around the theoretical framework of “media malaise,” and »political support«. It was found that the media certainly affected and shaped public opinion; however, study revealed that consuming media has not made people more cynical towards the EU. Based on secondary data analysis of Eurobarometer the study reveals positive relationship of media mobilization effect with European’s political attitudes and identity.

African COVID-19 lockdowns will split public opinion

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Public Opinion ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
South African ◽  
Health Risks ◽  
Virus Spread ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Approval Ratings ◽  
Vulnerable Communities ◽  
Restrictive Measures

Subject African COVID-19-related lockdowns. Significance There has been considerable civil society resistance to restrictive COVID-19-related lockdowns in Africa on both poverty and human rights grounds. Academics and journalists have also questioned their sustainability given the limited savings of most households and the reliance of many communities on the informal sector. However, both public opinion and civil society itself are deeply divided. Governments that acted quickly and firmly appear to have gained higher approval ratings for their handling of the pandemic, while organisations that represent vulnerable communities have welcomed restrictive measures intended to prevent the virus' spread. Impacts Governments failing to control COVID-19's spread risk being branded health risks by neighbours who have imposed stricter measures. Popular support for restrictive measures is likely to remain high so long as governments can demonstrate they are working. Clashing and problematic statements by ministers on restrictions could be an ongoing challenge for South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

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