The public sphere and debates about Europe in Britain: internalized and conflict driven?

摘要: This article undertakes an analysis of British public debates on European integration by recourse to original data set political claims-making. The sphere is conceptualized as a space where citizens interact through their acts communication. Such communications are important source the Europe-building process, because they potentially provide inputs elite-led processes institutional integration. Our empirical findings show that internalized within nation-state rather than creating links supra- or transnational polities. In addition, we find relatively low levels civil society engagement compared elites, and high level competition between two major parties, Labour Conservative. Overall, argue elite ambivalence Britain’s position Union has created this climate uncertainty over Europe.