European Narratives and Euroscepticism in the Western Balkans and the EU

Manuela Caiani, Associate Professor in Political Science, Scuola Normale Superiore, Italy.Benedetta Carlotti, Researcher, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Italy.Marko Lovec, Associate Professor and Research Fellow, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.Faris Kočan, Researcher, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.Maria Wincławska, Associate Professor of Political Science, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland.Adam Balcer, Program Director, Jan Nowak Jeziorański College of Eastern Europe, Poland.

‘Via triangulation of qualitative and quantitative methodological procedures and data sources, including in-depth and focus group interviews with Eurosceptic and pro-European political party and social movements adherents, Manuela Caiani and her colleagues systematically explore Euroscepticism comparatively across the right/left political spectrum in five countries. Drawing on the framing perspective, among other social movement concepts, their analysis identifies a number of different contextually-based Eurosceptic narratives, showing that Euroscepticism is more variegated and nuanced than often portrayed. For scholars interested in current Eurosceptic trajectories and their prospects, this is a timely and instructive contribution meriting a close reading.’ - David A. Snow, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, University of California, Irvine, U.S.A.‘Attitudes to European integration largely depend on how it is framed in different national and subnational public spheres. To uncover them demands meticulous systematic qualitative work and expert triangulation based on different sources. Caiani et al.'s work makes a valuable contribution to mapping the diversity of frames across Europe by focusing on a neglected geopolitical area: Eastern Europe and the Balkan region. In so doing it improves our understanding of the Eurosceptic undercurrents, which while in the minority, challenge the European project.’ - Juan Diez Medrano, Universidad Carlos III Madrid, Spain

• Chapter 1. European narratives and Euroscepticism: An introductionChapter 2. Our cases: setting the context of political and cultural opportunities for Eurosceptic narrativesChapter 3. A poorly contested entry to the EU, external shocks and the rise of illiberalism in Slovenian Chapter 4. If you scratch the surface: Euroscepticism in PolandChapter 5. From strong support to harsh opposition to the EU: the case of ItalyChapter 6. To join or not to join?: The case of North Macedonia.Chapter 7. Anticipating the (European) future while revisiting the (troubled) past: the case of Bosnia and HerzegovinaChapter 8. Conclusion: varieties of Euroscepticism: between parties and social movements, Left and Right, old and "newer" members