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This book explores the latest EU communication patterns during harsh times. By conjunctively examining media frames and narratives, political discourse and citizens´ perceptions, the volume promotes a critical, yet constructive approach to European integration. It also gives coherent answers to the very challenging question: "Why Europe?".

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This publication tackles strategies for bridging the widening gap between the EU and its citizens. It focuses on new theoretical and empirical frameworks about EU media frames and narratives, political discourse and citizens´ perceptions in order to promote a critical, yet constructive approach to the role of communication in the process of European integration. It has been acknowledged that the least problem the EU has is a communication problem. Communication is largely ineffective against a rising sentiment of injustice and inequality among increasingly diverse national, social and political groupings across the EU. Therefore, the authors underline how EU communication and EU public sphere can shape common representations of what can unite us as Europeans.

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EU communication deficit - EU crises - representations and perceptions of Europe - narratives of europeanization - European identity - populism - extremism - euroscepticism - future of the EU

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Alina Bârgaoanu is a Communication Scholar and Dean of the College of Communication and Public Relations (National University of Political Studies and Public Administration, Bucharest). She is the President of the Management Board at the European Institute of Romania, President of the ECREA Temporary Working Group ®Communication and the European Public Sphere¯ and ®EU Communication and the European Public Sphere¯ Jean Monnet chair holder.

Raluca Buturoiu is an Assistant Lecturer at the College of Communication and Public Relations (National University of Political Studies and Public Administration). She holds a PhD in Communication Sciences, with a thesis about mass communication effects. Her research interests cover communication theories, agenda-setting, framing and the (European) public sphere.

Loredana Radu is an Associate Professor and Head of the Communication Department at the College of Communication and Public Relations (National University of Political Studies and Public Administration). She is the Director of the Center for EU Communication Studies and coordinator of the Jean Monnet teaching module ®Patterns of Europeanization in Central and Eastern Europe¯.

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