From polarized we/they public opinion on European Integration towards social representations of public dialogue

Social psychology has established that oppositional we/they categorization is central to dis/identification with European integration (Hewstone, 1986 Chryssochoou, 2000; Mummendey and Walduz, 2004). As Europe faces fresh uncertainties, e.g. Brexit, this article reveals the multi-positional features of public opinion formation. Drawing on meta-representational approaches it reveals how we/they categorization moves from oppositional forms towards diplomatic non-oppositional forms when citizens speak about the general public in ‘a public capacity’ (Dewey, 1927). Two interview-led studies in England, Ireland, Germany, Scotland and Sweden (n = 100) brought participants into dialogue with the ideals of European integration. Analysis reveals six dialogical positions on the general public – avant-garde, advocating, homesteading, distancing, segmenting and progressive. These rest on social representations of the public as having freedom from movement, freedom of movement and freedom through movement. Understanding the public’s multi-positional capacities and the interplay between self-world narratives and European integration narratives is one step towards de-polarization and public dialogue on Europe