On 14 November, Dublin City University hosted a public seminar titled “How Does Ireland View the EU? Media Representations, Elite Discourses and Public Perceptions of European Integration“. The seminar brought together DCU researchers from the MEDIATIZED EU project and media professionals to reflect on how Irish media and political elites frame the EU and Ireland’s place in it, and how these impact citizens’ perceptions of the EU and attitudes towards EU enlargement.
MEDIATIZED EU researchers Dr Tetyana Lokot and Dr Alessio Cornia discussed the results of media analysis, elite interviews and public opinion survey in Ireland and reflected on representations and perceptions of the EU in a time of unprecedented challenges, from the security threats posed by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine to the disruptive influence of anti-democratic and far-right forces across Europe.
Muiris O’Cearbhaill, Politics and EU Affairs Correspondent with The Journal, shared findings from the media outlet’s own polling of Irish voters in the recent EU elections and reflected on the role of the media in Ireland in raising civic awareness about European politics and policymaking. Participants and members of the audience also held a lively discussion about how EU member states and European institutions can foster constructive debate about the future of the EU and how they can engage citizens in this process.
