Understanding Attitudes to the European Community

Book excerpt: This 1986 study presents an insightful perspective on public attitudes towards the European Community. It contains a review of the findings from public opinion surveys of the time on this issue, but goes beyond straightforward description to provide a real understanding of European attitudes. A variety of social-psychological theories are used to test a model of the structure underlying Community attitudes. The original data reported in the present study parallel the findings from much larger, representative and long-term surveys of public opinion. Thus Miles Hewstone is able to derive from his research a wide-ranging analysis of cross-national differences in attitudinal support, the Community's impact on its citizens, and the likely trends in attitude and voting behaviour. At a time when the entry of Spain and Portugal had further expanded the Community's membership, such issues were particularly timely and this clear and penetrating study especially welcome.