Special Issue: Understanding Euroscepticism

What leads citizens and political parties to oppose the principles, institutions, or policies of the European Union? This double special issue brings together specialists on public opinion, political parties, and media to answer this question. We examine economic interest and identity as sources of Euroscepticism among Europe's citizens and we analyse how public opinion is cued by media and political parties.

Articles in this special issue are:

Post-Maastricht Blues: The Transformation of Citizen Support for European Integration, 1973–2004 by Richard C Eichenberg and Russell J Dalton

Mainstream Euroskepticism: Trend or Oxymoron? by Leonard Ray

Explaining Change in British Public Opinion on the European Union: Top Down or Bottom Up? by Geoffrey Evans and Sarah Butt

Softening but Persistent: Euroscepticism in the Nordic EU Countries by Tapio Raunio

Eurosceptics Among Euroenthusiasts: An Analysis of Southern European Public Opinions by Iván Llamazares and Wladimir Gramacho

Explaining Mass-Level Euroscepticism: Identity, Interests, and Institutional Distrust by Lauren McLaren

Varieties of Euroscepticism and Populist Mobilization: Transforming Attitudes from Mild Euroscepticism to Harsh Eurocynicism by André Krouwel and Koen Abts

A Spiral of Euroscepticism: The Media's Fault? by Claes H de Vreese

Discontent and European Identity: Three Types of Euroscepticism by Bernhard Weels

Interests, Identity and Political Allegiance in the European Union by Catherine E de Vries and Kees van Kersbergen

Does Occupation Shape Attitudes on Europe? Benchmarking Validity and Parsimony by Liesbet Hooghe, Jing Jing Huo and Gary Marks