The EU as a Normative Symbol: Perceptions of Political and Media Elites in Spain

Sonia Boulos ^[1] ; Juan Racionero-García ^[1]
1. [1] Universidad Nebrija
  
  Universidad Nebrija
  
  Madrid, España
Localización: Profesional de la información, ISSN-e 1699-2407, ISSN 1386-6710, Vol. 33, Nº 5, 2024
Idioma: inglés
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Resumen
- Democratization occupied a significant weight in Spain’s accession to the European Economic Community. Accession was viewed as a remedy to Spain’s isolation, ‘backwardness’ and questionable ‘Europeanness’. In this process, proEuropean political and media elites and civil society in Spain constructed the EU as a symbol of modernity and democracy. This article examines how media and political elites in Spain conceptualize the role of the EU as symbol and a normative actor, distinguished by its commitment to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, after almost four decades of accession. By integrating Q methodology with in-depth interviews, we attempt to study the subjective perceptions of elites regarding the role of the EU as a normative actor and whether this role is constructed through identitarian or pragmatic factors.