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The End of a Noble Narrative? European Integration Narratives after the Nobel Peace Prize

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  • Ian Manners
  • Philomena Murray

Abstract

The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize 2012 to the EU (European Union) came as a surprise. Not only was the eurozone economic crisis undermining both policy effectiveness and public support for the EU, but it was also seriously challenging the EU's image in global politics. The eurozone crisis, the Nobel Prize and the search for a ‘new narrative for Europe’ demonstrate that the processes of European integration are always narrated as sense-making activities – stories people tell to make sense of their reality. This article argues in favour of a narrative approach to European integration through the construction and application of an analytical framework drawing on different theoretical perspectives. This framework is then applied to six European integration narratives to demonstrate the value of a narrative approach. The article concludes that narrative analysis provides a means of understanding both EU institutional and non-institutional narratives of European integration.

Suggested Citation

  • Ian Manners & Philomena Murray, 2016. "The End of a Noble Narrative? European Integration Narratives after the Nobel Peace Prize," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(1), pages 185-202, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:jcmkts:v:54:y:2016:i:1:p:185-202
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/jcms.12324
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ian Manners, 2010. "Global Europa: Mythology of the European Union in World Politics," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48, pages 67-87, January.
    2. Pascal Lamy, 2004. "Europe and the Future of Economic Governance," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(1), pages 5-21, February.
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    4. Dominika Biegoń, 2013. "Specifying the Arena of Possibilities: Post-structuralist Narrative Analysis and the E uropean Commission's Legitimation Strategies," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(2), pages 194-211, March.
    5. Ian Manners & Richard Whitman, 2016. "Another Theory is Possible: Dissident Voices in Theorising Europe," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(1), pages 3-18, January.
    6. Ian Manners, 2010. "Global Europa: Mythology of the European Union in World Politics," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(1), pages 67-87, January.
    7. Knudsen, Ann-Christina L. & Gram-Skjoldager, Karen, 2014. "Historiography and narration in transnational history," Journal of Global History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 9(1), pages 143-161, March.
    8. Mark Gilbert, 2008. "Narrating the Process: Questioning the Progressive Story of European Integration," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46, pages 641-662, June.
    9. Mark Gilbert, 2008. "Narrating the Process: Questioning the Progressive Story of European Integration," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(3), pages 641-662, June.
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    Cited by:

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