Making Sense of the European Union

This book explores how different Chinese social groups portray or discuss the European Union. The authors engage with issues such as trade, populism, EU crises, systemic rivalry and the Chinese media's representation of European integration and Brexit. They use qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods empirical research to show that, despite China's authoritarian political system, social actors construct complex representations of the EU that may influence government policy.

Rather than dismissing Chinese scholars as little more than state agents, one can benefit from their unique insights by analysing the prisms through which they view the world. In doing so, Western scholars can better understand the distinct institutional and cultural traditions that filter their own views of China.

Explores how different Chinese social groups portray the EU Shows how these groups construct complex representations that may influence government policy Provides unique insights into the contexts in which Chinese scholars work

Autorentext

Richard McMahon lectures on EU politics at University College London. He has been a journalist of EU affairs and taught in Ireland, the UK and Germany. His research and publications concentrate on the ways that people think about Europe and nations and how this affects politics, especially China-EU relations.

Hongsong Liu is a professor in School of International and Public Affairs at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. His research is primarily focused on international organizations, global governance as well as Chinese foreign policy. He has published widely in both international peer-reviewed journals and leading Chinese IR journals.

Inhalt

Chapter 1: Chinese representations of the European Union theoretical innovation, society & power.- Chapter 2 : Now a Systemic Rival Inklings of Complex Representations of the EU in Public Survey Data of Chinese Urban Residents.- Chapter 3: Narrating the Other The Chinese Media's Representation of European Integration and ChinaEU Relations in the context of Brexit.- Chapter 4: China's Perception of the European Union during Brexit The Case of Chinese Scholars.- Chapter 5: Issue framing, News Value and National Interest Communicating EU crises in China.- Chapter 6: Chinese representations of EU trade actorness.- Chapter 7: Chinese Academic Representations of the Rise of Populism in Europe.- Chapter 8: **** Geopolitical triangle How China's European Studies scholars represent the EU.- Chapter 9: Chinese Whispers China and Europe Miscommunicate the Multipolar Partnership Narrative.