Discourse Analysis and European Union Politics

This book reflects on the latest developments in discourse analysis in the context of EU politics research. It explores discourse analysis as a tool to study and understand EU politics, covering key conceptual, methodological and research-strategic questions. The analytical approach advanced in this book is anchored in discursive institutionalism, the newest addition to approaches in new institutionalism. The author particularly focuses on discourse as a strategic resource for political purposes, as a device for inclusion and exclusion in policy-making, and as a means of conveying and appealing to political emotions, as well as the role visual discourse and imagery play in day-to-day EU politics. Including a variety of examples using different combinations of research techniques and data material, the book also addresses issues related to the study of discursive structures and agency, discourse conflict and consensus, causality and the time dimension in discourse analysis.

Kennet Lynggaard is Associate Professor at the Department of Social Sciences and Business, Roskilde University, Denmark. His research focuses on politics and governance, research design, and the role of symbols, myths and emotions in European integration. He is the co-editor of Research Methods in European Union Studies (with I. Manners and K. Löfgren, 2015) and has published in numerous journals, including Journal of European Public Policy, West European Politics, New Political Economy, Comparative European Politics, and Journal of European Integration.

“This book is a valuable contribution to the existing literature with a focus on the use of DA for the study of politics. … this book which is written in a lucid style is accessible to a broad spectrum of readership, including lay readers, scholars, post-graduate students, interested in the areas of DA, language, international relations and political sciences.” (Muhammad Afzaal, Discourse Studies, Vol. 22 (5), 2020)

“An impressive book that serves as an invaluable guide to what discourse analysis is, to its main analytic approaches, research methods and techniques, and to the myriad ways in which it applies to European Union politics. The book provides deep insights into the nature, promise and problems of the EU while showing how discourse analysis provides a unique way into understanding it empirically.” (Vivien A. Schmidt, Jean Monnet Professor of European Integration, Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University, USA)

“It is easy enough to say that ‘discourse matters’ in EU politics, but rather more complex to figure out how to study it. For the answer, students and scholars need look no further than Kennet Lynggaard’s brilliant new book – the first volume to think systematically about how to undertake discourse analysis in the context of EU studies. Lynggaard’s text is impeccable in its attentiveness to the scope and nuance of discourse analysis, while at the same time providing a reliable and practical helping hand for anyone seeking to develop research in this field. The book is a truly outstanding synthesis of scholarship and pedagogy and should be on reading lists for many years to come.” (Ben Rosamond, Professor of Political Science, University of Copenhagen, Denmark)