Projects / Programmes
The role of mass media in the formation of the Slovenian European consciousness
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 6.06.00 |
Humanities |
Culturology |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| S210 |
Social sciences |
Sociology |
mass media, European consciousness, citizenship, Slovenia, identity, culture
Researchers (7)
Organisations (2)
Abstract
The research project addresses the question of the role of mass media in the formation of the Slovenian European consciousness, and the accompanying notions of European identity and citizenship. In particular, the project is a comparative socio-cultural analysis of three periods in the Slovenian post-independence history in which processes of European identity formation are most pronounced: post-independence and pre-EU membership period with the focus on 2004; post-joining period 2004-2007; and the upcoming of the Slovenian EU presidency (January-June 2008). The research design encompasses qualitative and quantitative content media analysis on the one hand; and measurement of the "European consciousness" of the Slovenian public – the consumers of selected print and electronic mass media on the other. The latter is conducted in two time segments: first survey takes place during the Slovenian EU presidency and is repeated in the same time period in the following year. The data obtained from both research activities will allow for the study of the immediate and long term effects of media coverage of the EU presidency. It will also provide valuable information to both researchers and the media institutions in terms of monitoring and analyzing the impacts that a more intensive focus on “European contents” may have in terms of developing stronger sense of participatory European citizenship and “democratic ownership” in the national and trans-national EU contexts. The longer comparative historical framework of the research, which includes broader empirical data (media archives, film production, but also culture more broadly), allows for the examination of the dynamics and key issues in the development of the Slovenian European consciousness after the independence. Synchronic and diachronic aspects present the possibility to obtain original results in the specific cultural, social and historical settings of the Slovenian society and form a valuable source for the enhancement of the European politics and policies of identity, citizenship and belonging which are sensitive to cultural and national differences among the EU member states. It also enables further consideration of the European cultural politics and its power to enforce transnational social cohesion by the means of mass media and information technologies. The immediate impacts of this consideration will be achieved in the life time of the project in the form of several public activities, such as workshops, educational symposia and training programmes for journalists, educators and members of the public at large.
Significance for science
In contemporary globalization and integration processes, the context of Europeaness presents an important aspect of the formation of national and transnational identities. While the early stages of the formation of European identity as a shared supranational and transnational entity were based primarily on the connecting economic and geopolitical interests, contemporary sociological and cultural humanistic research shows that the major role is attributed to culture.
The scientific contribution of this project is that it has allowed for the evaluation of the readiness of the Slovene news media to take on the role of the promotion and participation in the processes of the fornmation of the European public sphere; to what degree, editorial politics is in tune with the elaboration of the European themes and how much interest there is to deepen the knowledge of European political, social and cultural history in the way that contributes to broadening of the European consciousness. The results have also been presented to the international research community which means that this project contributes to the promotion of Slovenian science abroad as well as allows other research communities in Europe to conduct a comparative study in their national environments.
The project's goal was to provide a critical socio-cultural analysis of the role, which is played by mass media in formation of Slovene European concsciousness. The results of the empirical research and theoretical analysis have shown that:
- media in Slovenia report about Europe in a very ambiguous way
- which continues to be placed in the tradition of the "foreign affairs" reporting
- that there exists only a modest editorial effort to provide conditions for qualitative and critical public sphere which would combine national and transnational publics
- that even the prestigeous moments of European integration have only a limited effect, such as was the case with the Slovene Presidency of the Council of the EU
- and that this can also be linked to the modest media historical documenting of the significance of EU citizenship.
On the basis of this analysis, the consortium drafted theoretical directions for the development of the sociological knowledgment about the relationship between (national) media dn European public.
Significance for the country
Research project addresses the question of mass media in the formation of the Slovenian European consciousness and is based on comparative socio-cultural analysis of different periods of post-independence history, in particular between 2004 and 2008. The results allow the analysis and reflection of the long term effects of media reporting, while the data and knowledge obtained in the process provide media organizations and researchers with the opportunity to follow the impact derived from media focus on the European themes. This bears a particular relevance for the development of the citizenship and democratic ownership in national and transnational contexts. The research frame also allows for the investigation of the processes of collective identity formations in Slovenia.
The research results, which take into account culturally, socially and historically specific contexts of the Slovenian society, form an important source for the confirmation of the European politics of identity and citizenship, which takes into account national specificities of the EU member states.
The research brings to fore the importance of greater awarenesss in Slovenia about the European themes and brings the insights into the role of mass media in this process/project. The dissemination of knowledge therefore is directed towards the broader audience as well as researchers in the field of social sciences and humanities. The analysis also tackles an issue which is at the centre of political, media, scientific, economic and broad public debate on the instruments of effective integration of Slovenian society into the European one.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2008,
2009,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2008,
2009,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
