Perceptions of the European Union in New Member States
The book explores the views of elites alongside those of the wider population in the European Union. The chapters place the new member states and the potential candidate Serbia on the map of Europe in this context for the first time. The volumes comparative method goes beyond the standard old member states versus new member states divide. It assesses regional differences within Central Europe and evaluates the problem of European and national identity formation, perception of external threats to the EU (including Russia), differences between economic and political elite views about the integration process and the connection between national performance and public opinion about Europe. Even though, in each country, positive views are dominant about the integration process, heterogeneous views prevail behind the image of a unifying Europe.
The books major contribution is that it makes the new member states more visible and provides hard evidence while remaining theoretically driven. Furthermore, it covers the most important topics that emerge in studies concerning European integration. The book is intended for those interested in European integration in general but Central and Eastern European comparativists will find it particularly useful.
This book was published as a special issue of Europe-Asia Studies.
Gabriella Ilonszki is Professor of Political Science and Head of the Centre for Elite Studies at Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary.
Perceptions of the European Union in New Member States
A Comparative Perspective
Edited by Gabriella Ilonszki
First published 2010 by Routledge
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2010 University of Glasgow
This book is a reproduction of Europe-Asia Studies, volume 61, issue 6. The Publisher requests to those authors who may be citing this book to state, also, the bibliographical details of the special issue on which the book was based
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ISBN10: 0-415-57490-0
ISBN13: 978-0-415-57490-7
Routledge Europe-Asia Studies Series
A series edited by Terry Cox
University of Glasgow
The Routledge Europe-Asia Studies Series focuses on the history and current political, social and economic affairs of the countries of the former communist bloc of the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and Asia. As well as providing contemporary analyses it explores the economic, political and social transformation of these countries and the changing character of their relationships with the rest of Europe and Asia.
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HEINRICH BEST is currently Professor of Sociology at the University of Jena. He is also Co-Director of the multidisciplinary Collaborative Research Centre Social Development after Structural Change. Professor Bests publication list includes 35 books or special issues of journals and 125 journal and book contributions as primary author and editor. His recent publications include Elites and Social Change. The Socialist and Post-Socialist Experience co-edited with R. Gebauer and A. Salheiser (Reinhold Krmer Verlag, 2008) and Democratic Representation in Europe: Diversity, Change and Convergence, co-edited with M. Cotta (ECPR, 2007). Address: Institute of Sociology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Carl-Zeiss-Strasse 2, 07743 Jena, Germany. Email: .
BORBLA GNCZ is a PhD candidate at Corvinus University of Budapest, Institute of Sociology and Social Policy. Her research topic concerns attitudes towards the European Union in Hungary, its different factors of influence, and European identity among elites and the general public. Address: Corvinus University of Budapest, 1093 Fvm tr 8, Budapest, Hungary. Email: .
GABRIELLA ILONSZKI works for the Institute of Political Science at Corvinus University of Budapest where she heads the Centre for Elite Studies. Her research interests include parliamentary government, gender studies and the selection and election of politicians in CEE. Her most recent publication is an edited volume, Amatrs hivatsos politikusok [Amateur and Professional Politicians] (j Mandtum, 2008). Address: Corvinus University of Budapest, 8 Fvm tr, Budapest, Hungary. Email: .
MIGUEL JEREZ-MIR is Professor of Political Science and Head of the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at the University of Granada. A Fulbright Scholar at Yale University and former Prince of Asturias Chair at Georgetown University, he has published widely on political and economic elites in contemporary Spain and political science as a discipline. He is currently responsible of the Spanish elite survey for the Intune project. Address: Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Faculty of Political Sciences and Sociology, University of Granada, c/o Rector Lpez Argeta, 18001 Granada, Spain. Email: .
MLADEN LAZI is Professor of Sociology in the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Philosophy, Belgrade. His main research interests include social stratification, economic and political elites, and social change. He has published and edited numerous books, including Belgrade in Protest (CEU Press, 1999); Promene i otpori [Resistances to Social Change] (Filip Vinji, 2005). Address: Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, ika Ljubina 1820, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia. Email: .
GYRGY LENGYEL is Professor of Sociology at Corvinus University of Budapest. He heads the research seminar of the sociology PhD programme and gives lectures on economic and general sociology. He has studied economics, history and sociology, and he is Doctor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. His research topics are elites, entrepreneurs, social impacts of information technology and European integration. Address: Corvinus University of Budapest, 1093 Fvm tr 8, Budapest, Hungary. Email: .
ZDENKA MANSFELDOV is a senior researcher and head of the Department of the Sociology of Politics at the Institute of Sociology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. Her research focuses on political institutionalisation and representation of interests in both political terms (parties, parliament) and the non-political mesostructures of social interests.
