Against the background of the changing global context, this book presents an analysis of three country members of the European Union- France, Spain, and the United Kingdom-and the most significant social representations that are influencing the course of European integration. At the heart of the work is an analysis of the uneasy relation of the nation-state, its symbolism and the process of European integration. The text uses a sociological perspective to examine the issues of economic integration, enlargement, the question of national identity versus European identity, and sovereignty.

This account is based on multiple research methods, including document analysis, content analysis, and in-depth semi-structured individual interviews, quantitative and qualitative data. This study proceeds in two distinct, but complementary directions. First it offers a top-down analysis of the discourse on the nation-state and the European Union offered by political, labor union, and economic elites. Second it takes a bottom-up approach through the analysis of the general public's perception of the European Union. By looking at the interweaving of culture, politics, and economics, the author provides an insightful portrait of the complexity of the European Union.