Demons, ants, giants and dwarves: the construction of Germany’s handling of the Euro-crisis in French political discourse

Since the beginning of the Euro crisis in 2009 a succession of one “last chance” meeting after another has exposed deep rifts over the policies to implement in order to ensure the permanence of the Euro. From austerity measures to curb swelling public deficits put forward by Germany to European growth plans and solidarity mechanisms suggested by France disagreements have been deep and infighting widespread. The agreement of a new European treaty creating a tight fiscal pact, at the European Summit on 7 December 2011, brought these tensions to the fore, leading to a barrage of criticisms in France against Germany imposing its austerity agenda on the whole Eurozone. This article seeks to analyse how Germany has been portrayed in the French political discourse by focusing on the vast array of reactions to this new treaty. It will show a discursive struggle between three discourse types representing Germany as an evil force intent on dominating Europe, a virtuous ant unwittingly dominating Europe and an economic giant but a political dwarf. These discourses will show how Germany is trapped into past representations and how they reveal far more about France’s self-image in relation to its neighbour than about Germany itself

Jules Romains’ vision of a united Europe in interwar France: legacy and ambiguities

The interwar period in Europe was characterised by a multi-faceted movement in favour of European integration. After the slaughter of the First World War, many intellectuals, writers, industrialists and politicians brought the idea of European unity to the fore and engaged in various actions, from setting up organisations to lobbying governments, to promote the unification of Europe. Much research has been carried out on the leading figures of these pro-European activities but amongst the wealth of this period other actors have tended to be forgotten. Such is the case with the French writer Jules Romains, who not only coined “Europeanism”, the word that would define the whole movement in favour of Europe, but who also actively participated in promoting a united Europe. This article seeks to introduce and discuss Romains’ ideas on Europe. It will demonstrate that his vision was very coherent within the framework of his Unanimist philosophy but was undermined by serious ambiguities. It will also demonstrate that his ideas are of great interest for what they reveal about the interwar period in France and Europe, what they bring to the genealogy of the European project, as set up after the Second World War, and for the ambiguities at the core of his concept of Europe, which are still very much at the heart of many of today’s debates about the European Union

From the Stereotypification of the Non-European Other to the Prototypification of the European Self: A Case Study of Turkey’s Membership to the European Union from the French Perspective

In an era of increased globalisation, the need for a sense of belonging and an identity is becoming more pressing. The way nations form images of others and, conversely, conscious or unconscious images of themselves is becoming increasingly important as these images impact on public opinion and on political and decision-making discourse. With the development of supranationalism in Europe, the age-old notion of European identity has come more and more to the fore. Conflicting interpretations and a general disinclination to consider the matter leave the notion of European identity as polysemic as ever. Furthermore, the expansion of the EU has contributed to blurring this notion, so much so that in the collective psyche, it has become closely linked to the membership of the European Union and it is proving sometimes difficult to dissociate one from the other. In this context, the debate surrounding Turkey’s membership of the EU gives an insight into prototypical and stereotypical representations of Europe. As the controversy has been particularly salient in France, the aim of this study is to explore the European self-conceptions and images of the other through the example of France’s opposition to Turkey’s membership of the EU. For this purpose, opinion polls and the Press will be used as forms of narrative in order to highlight these representations and how they have evolved in time. The first part of the study will concentrate on the arguments put forward to justify the opposition to Turkey joining the EU. The second part will then evaluate how the image of the other contributes to the prototypical representation French citizens have of Europe. Keywords European Union; Europeanness; Stereotypification; Prototypification; Turkey; Enlargemen

Security in the name of human rights: the discursive legitimation strategies of the war on terror in France

This article aims to question the discourse on “the war on terror” developed by the French President in the wake of the two terrorist attacks that occurred in France in 2015. Drawing from critical discourse analysis, it explores the discursive legitimation strategies deployed by President Hollande to legitimate France’s securitarian response to the two attacks. It reveals how the defence of human rights served as an overall justificatory framework, through rationalisation, appeals to authority, and moralisation. It argues that Hollande implemented a discursive manipulation of reality to shield his actions from criticisms of illiberalism, all the while reframing the notion of human rights, undermining it and paving the way for an authoritarian-driven executive

Understanding public constructions of counter-terrorism: an analysis of online comments during the state of emergency in France (2015-2017)

This article aims to analyse how lay members of the public conceptualised security politics in France within the context of the two-year-long state of emergency implemented after the Paris attack in November 2015. Building upon research on everyday narratives of security, this article examines the online comments written by readers of two major French newspapers on what should be done to counter terrorism. It first investigates the narratives constructed by the measures and policies they put forward, and second, whether the duration of the state of emergency affected them and, if so, how. It reveals the dominant conceptualisation of security as disciplining and taming the national body, with the Muslim migrant other and liberties the central elements to neutralise, and finds that this stance hardened over the period. This article argues that in challenging their authorities to go much further in their fight against terrorism, online readers not only legitimated their security discourse but also facilitated the existence of political subjects for the purpose of governmental logics, paving the way for authoritarian-driven and unfettered state power

Erasmus Language students in a British University – a case study

Students’ assessment of their academic experience is actively sought by Higher Education institutions, as evidenced in the National Student Survey introduced in 2005. Erasmus students, despite their growing numbers, tend to be excluded from these satisfaction surveys, even though they, too, are primary customers of a University. This study aims to present results from bespoke questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with a sample of Erasmus students studying languages in a British University. These methods allow us insight into the experience of these students and their assessment as a primary customer, with a focus on language learning and teaching, university facilities and student support. It investigates to what extent these factors influence their levels of satisfaction and what costs of adaptation if any, they encounter. Although excellent levels of satisfaction were found, some costs affect their experience. They relate to difficulties in adapting to a learning methodology based on a low number of hours and independent learning and to a guidance and support system seen as too stifling. The results portray this cohort’s British University as a well-equipped and well-meaning but ultimately overbearing institution, which may indicate that minimising costs can eliminate some sources of dissatisfaction

Jules Romains' Vision of a United Europe in Interwar France: Legacy and Ambiguities

The interwar period in Europe was characterised by a multi-faceted movement in favour of European integration. After the slaughter of the First World War, many intellectuals, writers, industrialists and politicians brought the idea of European unity to the fore and engaged in various actions, from setting up organisations to lobbying governments, to promote the unification of Europe. Much research has been carried out on the leading figures of these pro-European activities but amongst the wealth of this period other actors have tended to be forgotten. Such is the case with the French writer Jules Romains, who not only coined “Europeanism”, the word that would define the whole movement in favour of Europe, but who also actively participated in promoting a united Europe. This article seeks to introduce and discuss Romains’ ideas on Europe. It will demonstrate that his vision was very coherent within the framework of his Unanimist philosophy but was undermined by serious ambiguities. It will also demonstrate that his ideas are of great interest for what they reveal about the interwar period in France and Europe, what they bring to the genealogy of the European project, as set up after the Second World War, and for the ambiguities at the core of his concept of Europe, which are still very much at the heart of many of today’s debates about the European Union

Reflections on Macron's Proposals for a Renewed EU

Emmanuel Macron, elegido presidente francés en 2017 en una plataforma proeuropea contra un oponente acérrimamente euroescéptico, ha tratado revitalizar la construcción europea sacudida por una década de crisis múltiples. Ya se le alabe o vilipendie por ser un creyente apasionado del proyecto europeo, ha expuesto una visión integral del futuro de la UE a través de una serie de discursos clave. El presente artículo aspira a discutir y evaluar la contribución de Macron al debate sobre el futuro de la UE. Tras esbozar el contexto global y de la UE en el que Macron ha operado, argumenta que su visión, integral y que ofrece vías para los proeuropeos, contiene una serie de puntos ciegos que la socavan y tienen que replantearse si el proyecto europeo ha de seguir adelante

Reflexiones sobre las propuestas de Macron para la renovación de la UE

Emmanuel Macron, elected French President on a pro-European platform against a staunchly Eurosceptic opponent in 2017, has sought to reinvigorate the European construction shaken by a decade of multiple crises. Whether lauded or vilified for being a passionate believer in the European project, he has laid out a comprehensive vision for the future of the EU through a series of key speeches. This article aims to discuss and assess Macron’s contribution to the debate on the future of the EU. After outlining the global and EU context in which Macron has been operating, it argues that his vision, whilst comprehensive and offering avenues for pro-Europeans, contains a series of blind spots that undermines it and which needs to be tackled if the European project is to advance.Emmanuel Macron, elegido presidente francés en 2017 en una plataforma proeuropea contra un oponente acérrimamente euroescéptico, ha tratado revitalizar la construcción europea sacudida por una década de crisis múltiples. Ya se le alabe o vilipendie por ser un creyente apasionado del proyecto europeo, ha expuesto una visión integral del futuro de la UE a través de una serie de discursos clave. El presente artículo aspira a discutir y evaluar la contribución de Macron al debate sobre el futuro de la UE. Tras esbozar el contexto global y de la UE en el que Macron ha operado, argumenta que su visión, integral y que ofrece vías para los proeuropeos, contiene una serie de puntos ciegos que la socavan y tienen que replantearse si el proyecto europeo ha de seguir adelante

Reflections on Macron's proposals for a renewed EU

Emmanuel Macron, elected French President on a pro-European platform against a staunchly Eurosceptic opponent in 2017, has sought to reinvigorate the European construction shaken by a decade of multiple crises. Whether lauded or vilified for being a passionate believer in the European project, he has laid out a comprehensive vision for the future of the EU through a series of key speeches. This article aims to discuss and assess Macron’s contribution to the debate on the future of the EU. After outlining the global and EU context in which Macron has been operating, it argues that his vision, whilst comprehensive and offering avenues for pro-Europeans, contains a series of blind spots that undermines it and which needs to be tackled if the European project is to advance.Emmanuel Macron, elegido presidente francés en 2017 en una plataforma proeuropea contra un oponente acérrimamente euroescéptico, ha tratado revitalizar la construcción europea sacudida por una década de crisis múltiples. Ya se le alabe o vilipendie por ser un creyente apasionado del proyecto europeo, ha expuesto una visión integral del futuro de la UE a través de una serie de discursos clave. El presente artículo aspira a discutir y evaluar la contribución de Macron al debate sobre el futuro de la UE. Tras esbozar el contexto global y de la UE en el que Macron ha operado, argumenta que su visión, integral y que ofrece vías para los proeuropeos, contiene una serie de puntos ciegos que la socavan y tienen que replantearse si el proyecto europeo ha de seguir adelante