The European Union in the Public Imagination: Maximising the Impact of Transdisciplinary Insights
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Edinburgh
Department Name: Sch of Social and Political Science
Abstract
The aim, during this fellowship, is to provide a unique trans-disciplinary contribution to the debate about the relationship between the UK and the European Union.
The outputs from this fellowship will contribute to the programme's focus on attitudes towards the EU, including intra-UK regional variations in attitudes to the EU. Innovative interdisciplinary data sources on social and political attitudes to the EU and their drivers will be mined and analysed. The findings will be made accessible to policy-makers, political elites and to the wider public using novel applications of social media, direct collaboration with the mainstream media, and a public art installation as well as more traditional user engagement strategies. On a smaller scale, to keep coverage of what will be a rapidly shifting landscape current, some innovative ongoing research will be conducted.
Continued UK membership of the European Union (EU), at least on the current terms of membership, increasingly appears to be in question. Traditionally an 'awkward partner' in the EU (George 1990), the UK as a whole has exhibited consistently low levels of attachment to the EU in cross-national opinion surveys. Prime Minister Cameron has promised that in the event of a Conservative victory in 2015, he will hold a referendum on continued EU membership of his country. At the same time, the UK Independence Party (UKIP), an avowedly Eurosceptic party, became the UK's largest party - with one third of the UK's seats - at the European Parliament elections of 2014.
Yet, polls show support for EU membership in the UK to be peaking at its highest level in more than two decades (for example, IPSOS MORI Political Monitor, October 2014). Support for staying in the EU is highest in London (66%) and Scotland (60%). This poses a crucial dilemma to any vote-seeking political actor with anti-EU aspirations: how much does one move in the direction of proposing an anti-EU vision to a relatively Eurosceptic public, before one triggers a pro-EU backlash among the same public? Understanding how individual attachment to the EU is shaped and how context interacts with, and impacts upon, that attachment are matters of considerable contemporary interest to political elites, policy-makers and the general public.
Recent advances in transdisciplinary methods, offer significant potential for the social sciences to make a unique contribution to explaining and predicting the responses of the public to changing political contexts and policy environments. Extensive opinion poll data exists but there is, as yet, no widely reported-on indirect political metric or psychological equivalent to, for example, Yougov or Panelbase. Drawing on extensive existing material (including experimental self-reports, physiological (hormone) testing data, neurological data from fMRI scanning and behavioural data) the applicant will address this gap in public knowledge in relation to EU developments. In addition, the shifting mood of the public on EU-related matters will be tracked throughout the period of the fellowship. Twitter analytics including sentiment-ratings, will be monitored; a visual twitter 'gallery', of photo, video and vine uploads, will be analysed, curated and made available using storify; and facial-coding of emotional responses to EU-related topics will be examined in collaboration with crowdEmotion http://www.crowdemotion.co.uk.
The outputs from this fellowship will contribute to the programme's focus on attitudes towards the EU, including intra-UK regional variations in attitudes to the EU. Innovative interdisciplinary data sources on social and political attitudes to the EU and their drivers will be mined and analysed. The findings will be made accessible to policy-makers, political elites and to the wider public using novel applications of social media, direct collaboration with the mainstream media, and a public art installation as well as more traditional user engagement strategies. On a smaller scale, to keep coverage of what will be a rapidly shifting landscape current, some innovative ongoing research will be conducted.
Continued UK membership of the European Union (EU), at least on the current terms of membership, increasingly appears to be in question. Traditionally an 'awkward partner' in the EU (George 1990), the UK as a whole has exhibited consistently low levels of attachment to the EU in cross-national opinion surveys. Prime Minister Cameron has promised that in the event of a Conservative victory in 2015, he will hold a referendum on continued EU membership of his country. At the same time, the UK Independence Party (UKIP), an avowedly Eurosceptic party, became the UK's largest party - with one third of the UK's seats - at the European Parliament elections of 2014.
Yet, polls show support for EU membership in the UK to be peaking at its highest level in more than two decades (for example, IPSOS MORI Political Monitor, October 2014). Support for staying in the EU is highest in London (66%) and Scotland (60%). This poses a crucial dilemma to any vote-seeking political actor with anti-EU aspirations: how much does one move in the direction of proposing an anti-EU vision to a relatively Eurosceptic public, before one triggers a pro-EU backlash among the same public? Understanding how individual attachment to the EU is shaped and how context interacts with, and impacts upon, that attachment are matters of considerable contemporary interest to political elites, policy-makers and the general public.
Recent advances in transdisciplinary methods, offer significant potential for the social sciences to make a unique contribution to explaining and predicting the responses of the public to changing political contexts and policy environments. Extensive opinion poll data exists but there is, as yet, no widely reported-on indirect political metric or psychological equivalent to, for example, Yougov or Panelbase. Drawing on extensive existing material (including experimental self-reports, physiological (hormone) testing data, neurological data from fMRI scanning and behavioural data) the applicant will address this gap in public knowledge in relation to EU developments. In addition, the shifting mood of the public on EU-related matters will be tracked throughout the period of the fellowship. Twitter analytics including sentiment-ratings, will be monitored; a visual twitter 'gallery', of photo, video and vine uploads, will be analysed, curated and made available using storify; and facial-coding of emotional responses to EU-related topics will be examined in collaboration with crowdEmotion http://www.crowdemotion.co.uk.
Planned Impact
Engagement with political elites, business leaders, policy-makers and the general public are central to this fellowship. Engagement is intrinsic to the creative research methods employed and is essential to maximise the scope, reach and validity of the measures developed. As well as a producing an ongoing stream of blogs, media contributions, wider networking and provision of talks to user groups throughout the fellowship period, the applicant has developed an innovative impact strategy (see Pathways to Impact document) making full use of advances in the field of cloud-based technologies and social media resources to maximise the scope and depth of the impact of the fellowship.
Policy impact:
The question of the relationship between the UK and the EU is generating considerable uncertainty. Decision-making under conditions of uncertainty is both challenging and risky. The UK in a Changing Europe programme has a key role to play in informing decision-makers and those affected by the decisions that they take. The research agenda identified here provides new means of evaluating the impact of policy decision on public attitudes and behaviours. Direct engagement of the applicant with, for example, the Behavioural Insights Team sponsored by the Cabinet Office, will maximimise the opportunities for direct policy impact.
Political Impact:
The insights developed here offer new tools and insights for political campaigners on both sides of the debate to consider as they develop their campaigns. This applies not only to political parties, but to pro and anti-EU campaigners, as well as to groups concerned with a specific policy issue and with how the public are responding to that issue and to the campaigns surrounding it. The blogs and briefings provided by the applicant will target this audience directly.
Business impact:
Business leaders face similar issues in relation to decision-making the context of uncertainty around the future of the UK's relationship with the EU. The issue of public trust in information sources is a particular concern. The applicant will address this issue specifically in her presentation to a roundtable of business leaders organised by London First. Business leaders also have a wider interest in the application of some of the public attitude metrics being developed by the applicant, specifically an interest in how these might be applied more widely in relation to product confidence, brand loyalty and for advertising purposes. The applicant will address this issue in her presentation to Price Waterhouse Cooper (pwc UK) staff and their clients.
Public Impact:
The public is at the heart of this project. How they imagine the EU and what shapes these imaginings will be integral at all stages. To ensure that the public impact and input is maximised, an accessible digital twitter gallery #myimageoftheEU will be promoted in the media. The public can not only view this gallery but can contribute to its creation. The question of the UK's relationship with the EU has profound implications for UK citizens. The tools generated here will make this debate accessible to 'hard to reach' communities and to young voters perhaps engaging with EU issues for the first time.
Impact on the UK and a Changing Europe Programme:
The applicant would seek to identify synergies with the work of other fellows and projects in the programme. For example, the substantive focus of another project (eg. on the Eurozone, citizenship or the EU budget) might be a suitable topic for one of the proposed themed public-mood barometers. Similarly, some of the ideas proposed here, such as the Twitter Town Hall meeting, might also be implemented on a programme-wide basis. The innovative methods proposed will produce exciting content, which can be used to enhance the programme's web presence and to maximise wider engagement with the programme.
Policy impact:
The question of the relationship between the UK and the EU is generating considerable uncertainty. Decision-making under conditions of uncertainty is both challenging and risky. The UK in a Changing Europe programme has a key role to play in informing decision-makers and those affected by the decisions that they take. The research agenda identified here provides new means of evaluating the impact of policy decision on public attitudes and behaviours. Direct engagement of the applicant with, for example, the Behavioural Insights Team sponsored by the Cabinet Office, will maximimise the opportunities for direct policy impact.
Political Impact:
The insights developed here offer new tools and insights for political campaigners on both sides of the debate to consider as they develop their campaigns. This applies not only to political parties, but to pro and anti-EU campaigners, as well as to groups concerned with a specific policy issue and with how the public are responding to that issue and to the campaigns surrounding it. The blogs and briefings provided by the applicant will target this audience directly.
Business impact:
Business leaders face similar issues in relation to decision-making the context of uncertainty around the future of the UK's relationship with the EU. The issue of public trust in information sources is a particular concern. The applicant will address this issue specifically in her presentation to a roundtable of business leaders organised by London First. Business leaders also have a wider interest in the application of some of the public attitude metrics being developed by the applicant, specifically an interest in how these might be applied more widely in relation to product confidence, brand loyalty and for advertising purposes. The applicant will address this issue in her presentation to Price Waterhouse Cooper (pwc UK) staff and their clients.
Public Impact:
The public is at the heart of this project. How they imagine the EU and what shapes these imaginings will be integral at all stages. To ensure that the public impact and input is maximised, an accessible digital twitter gallery #myimageoftheEU will be promoted in the media. The public can not only view this gallery but can contribute to its creation. The question of the UK's relationship with the EU has profound implications for UK citizens. The tools generated here will make this debate accessible to 'hard to reach' communities and to young voters perhaps engaging with EU issues for the first time.
Impact on the UK and a Changing Europe Programme:
The applicant would seek to identify synergies with the work of other fellows and projects in the programme. For example, the substantive focus of another project (eg. on the Eurozone, citizenship or the EU budget) might be a suitable topic for one of the proposed themed public-mood barometers. Similarly, some of the ideas proposed here, such as the Twitter Town Hall meeting, might also be implemented on a programme-wide basis. The innovative methods proposed will produce exciting content, which can be used to enhance the programme's web presence and to maximise wider engagement with the programme.
People |
ORCID iD |
Laura Cram (Principal Investigator / Fellow) |
Description | We developed an interactive Twitter tracker to monitor the public debate on the Brexit referendum. We have now collected over 40 million tweets. This unique data-set has been uploaded to ESDS. Social media data gathering methods introduce a bias into the resulting data sets. We have tried to define the bias that different collection strategies introduce by using our Brexit referendum data-set. We tested several hypotheses: data collected using different collection strategies results in different datasets and users in these data sets are different and use the facilities provided by Twitter differently. We found that the data in the datasets was different; there is a surprising lack of overlap between the datasets. We found that using a hashtag approach gives a much larger but less relevant dataset and contains more tweets from the same, highly motivated, users. Although there was a low overlap between tweets within the datasets there was a higher overlap between users. Then same users were found even though different tweets were included, this disproves the notion that the sets would contain different types of users and suggests more that it contains tweets generated by the same users using different strategies depending on the context. Although we did find that there was some diversity of users and this gave rise to a higher diversity of friend and follower numbers for users in the stream set. We found a difference in the use of additional content in the different sets, in particular a higher use of photos or images in the official set and a higher use of addition content in general in the hashtag set. We found that in collecting from a specific set of users, the official set, we introduced a bias due to a specific tweeting strategy used by all groups (using images). This bias may change if different users are collected from for a different purpose but highlights the need for caution. We also found that the users belonging to the official set of Leave and Remain campaign groups had more followers and less friends than the other sets. These users were well known to be tweeting about the topic, which was why we included them but also why others followed them. The users in the official group were "broadcast accounts"; those that have many followers and relatively less friends. Collecting from specific users also influenced the language used in the tweets; measured through reading ease, they were more complex than those collected from the other sets. We also found that the language in the hashtag set was more complex than the stream set. In our study of face-emotion coding, we also found a significant difference between the behaviours of participants in our lab-based study and in the online study. |
Exploitation Route | The interactive Twitter data set is, as we anticipated, used by journalists, campaigners and policy-makers as well as the public to monitor shifts in the Twitter debate on Brexit. Government officials and other public and private actors interested in developing more robust methodologies for utilising Twitter data are helping us to develop this tool further and we are exploring its extension to monitor a possible second independence referendum in Scotland. The data-sets for both the Twitter and the face-emotion coding study can be used to understand more about how traditional polling methods can be supplemented/developed to allow for more nuanced understanding of political attitudes, expectations and behaviours. At an academic level we have had papers accepted at major international conferences in the fields of political science and the information science and presented papers to audiences on cognitive neuroscience, political psychology and design informatics. |
Sectors | Government Democracy and Justice |
URL | http://ukandeu.ac.uk |
Description | We have had considerable media exposure for our EU referendum twitter and #myimageoftheEU research (BBC Radio 4, BBC Scotland, World Service, BBC 5 Live, BBC Wales, Sky News) and direct interest in our work from campaign organisations and policy makers. Our research has also generated considerable public and media interest. We have also developed a dedicated web site http://www.pol.ed.ac.uk/neuropoliticsresearch. The interactive twitter demo on the EU referendum is accessed by journalist and policy makers as well as by the general public http://www.pol.ed.ac.uk/neuropoliticsresearch/sections/remote_content. We have had a number of meetings with civil servants in the Scottish executive, interested in our methods and in our approaches to understanding public attitudes using twitter analysis and face-emotion coding.We collaborate on our face-emotion coding experiment on the EU referendum campaign with our industry partners, CrowdEmotion. This collaboration with CrowdEmotion will extend significantly as we gear up for further studies on the forthcoming Scottish elections and the EU referendum. Our #myimageoftheEU twitter gallery has attracted direct public engagement with the general public, with artists, journalists and the creative community. Our art installation in the National Library of Scotland on May 9 Europe Day will be a significant cultural event. |
First Year Of Impact | 2015 |
Sector | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Government, Democracy and Justice,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
Impact Types | Cultural Societal Policy & public services |
Description | Europa Proces |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | This process created a forum for active engagement between policy makers and academics to produce practical input into thinking on Scottish/Brexit issue resolution. It was an effective model for such policy engagement that is to be replicated as a policy practice. |
Description | Future of Europe |
Geographic Reach | Europe |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Description | House of Commons Brexit review |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Description | citation in House of Lords Brexit report |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Description | Brexit Priority Grant |
Amount | £290,331 (GBP) |
Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2017 |
End | 09/2018 |
Title | Intercative Twitter tracker |
Description | We have developed an innovative interactive twitter tool to track the Brexit campaign and subsequent responses, including a potential indyref2. A longitudinal method, using multiple collection strategies, allows us to minimise bias, and observe shifting patterns over time. Daily visualisations allow non-expert user to track developments in an intuitive manner. |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | It has been featured on the BBC, used by campaigners and journalists and featured on CNBC.com (the recognized world leader in business news). |
URL | http://www.pol.ed.ac.uk/neuropoliticsresearch/sections/remote_content |
Title | Twitter, Face-Emotion Coding & Brexit |
Description | We developed an interactive Twitter tracker to monitor the public debate on the Brexit referendum. We have now collected over 40 million tweets. This unique data-set has been uploaded to ESDS. Social media data gathering methods introduce a bias into the resulting data sets. We have tried to define the bias that different collection strategies introduce by using our Brexit referendum data-set. We tested several hypotheses: data collected using different collection strategies results in different datasets and users in these data sets are different and use the facilities provided by Twitter differently. We found that the data in the datasets was different; there is a surprising lack of overlap between the datasets. We found that using a hashtag approach gives a much larger but less relevant dataset and contains more tweets from the same, highly motivated, users. Although there was a low overlap between tweets within the datasets there was a higher overlap between users. Then same users were found even though different tweets were included, this disproves the notion that the sets would contain different types of users and suggests more that it contains tweets generated by the same users using different strategies depending on the context. Although we did find that there was some diversity of users and this gave rise to a higher diversity of friend and follower numbers for users in the stream set. We found a difference in the use of additional content in the different sets, in particular a higher use of photos or images in the official set and a higher use of addition content in general in the hashtag set. We found that in collecting from a specific set of users, the official set, we introduced a bias due to a specific tweeting strategy used by all groups (using images). This bias may change if different users are collected from for a different purpose but highlights the need for caution. We also found that the users belonging to the official set of Leave and Remain campaign groups had more followers and less friends than the other sets. These users were well known to be tweeting about the topic, which was why we included them but also why others followed them. The users in the official group were "broadcast accounts"; those that have many followers and relatively less friends. Collecting from specific users also influenced the language used in the tweets; measured through reading ease, they were more complex than those collected from the other sets. We also found that the language in the hashtag set was more complex than the stream set. In our study of face-emotion coding, we also found a significant difference between the behaviours of participants in our lab-based study and in the online study. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2016 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Data has been uploaded to UKDS The interactive Twitter data set is, as we anticipated, used by journalists, campaigners and policy-makers as well as the public to monitor shifts in the Twitter debate on Brexit. Government officials and other public and private actors interested in developing more robust methodologies for utilising Twitter data are helping us to develop this tool further and we are exploring its extension to monitor a possible second independence referendum in Scotland. The data-sets for both the Twitter and the face-emotion coding study can be used to understand more about how traditional polling methods can be supplemented/developed to allow for more nuanced understanding of political attitudes, expectations and behaviours. At an academic level we have had papers accepted at major international conferences in the fields of political science and the information science and presented papers to audiences on cognitive neuroscience, political psychology and design informatics. |
Description | face-emotion coding |
Organisation | Crowd Emotion |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Research design, lab experiment and data analysis |
Collaborator Contribution | participant recruitment, software design, data analysis |
Impact | research still in progress |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | (N)ever Closer Union - Cognition, Coalition and Continuity - Britain & EU/Europa Institute |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Roundtable discussion and debate, followed up by contact from policy-makers |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Anne Diamond interview BBC Berkshire |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | radio interview on political psychology of Brexit |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Austrian visitor talk #EUref |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Talk on brexit for visiting Austrian Policy-makers |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | BBC Scotland Newsdrive |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | radio interview on #myimageoftheEU |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | BBC Scotland Newsdrive |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | radio interview on political psychology of Brexit |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | BBC Wales |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | radio interview on political psychology of Brexit |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Blog |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Blog post |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://blogs.sps.ed.ac.uk/neuropolitics/2017/11/16/we-find-brexit-related-tweets-from-the-russian-tr... |
Description | Blog - European Futures - Message from Cameron's Speech - Still an Awkward Partner |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Blog post to communicate with general public as part of UKandEU fellowship |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Brexit? Contrasting Opinion on the UK's EU Referendum |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Blog communication to general public as part of UKandEU fellowship |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.europeanfutures.ed.ac.uk/article-2761 |
Description | CNBC features interactive twitter tracker |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | CNBC.com features Interactive Twitter Tracker |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Daily Politics features Interactive Twitter Tracker |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Daily Politics features Interactive Twitter Tracker |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Documentary on Brexit - Chris Morris - BBC Radio 4 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Documentary on Brexit - Chris Morris - BBC Radio 4 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Documentary on voting and psychology - BBC Radio 4 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Documentary on voting and psychology - BBC Radio 4 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | EU Referendum Campaign Groups: Strategies on Twitter |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Blog post to communicate with general public as part of UKandEU fellowship |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.europeanfutures.ed.ac.uk/article-2212 |
Description | EU in the Public Imagination - National Library of Scotland - Art Exhibition |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Pop up event at national Library of Scotland - expert talks, interactive events and art exhibition |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Europe 60 year anniversary - Europa Institute |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Europe 60 year anniversary - Europa Institute |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | European Futures Launch |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | OUR MISSION European Futures is an academic blog from the University of Edinburgh and the Edinburgh Europa Institute which imagines Europe and its futures and provokes thought and debate on the issues facing Europe today. The blog is an online platform featuring commentary, analysis and insight on Europe and European affairs, broadly defined, by academics and practitioners from the University of Edinburgh and beyond. We invite contributions on all aspects of the development of European integration, in the European Union and in other multilateral organisations, and those of European states, including wider Europe and the European neighbourhood. What is the European future and what might it be? European Futures is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Impact Acceleration Account awarded to the University of Edinburgh. Join the discussion on Twitter @EuropeanFutures and with the hashtag #ImagineEurope. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.europeanfutures.ed.ac.uk/about/european-futures |
Description | Exploring Bias: Comparing Approaches for Collecting Twitter Data |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Blog communication to general public as part of UKandEU fellowship |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.europeanfutures.ed.ac.uk/article-2806 |
Description | FPA - Press briefing - UKandEU |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Media briefing - with follow up interviews with international journalists |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Future of Europe - European Movement |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Future of Europe - European Movement |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Future of Europe - Greek Foreign Ministry |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Future of Europe - Greek Foreign Ministry |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | General Election 2017: A Twitter Analysis |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | blog |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/1706.02271 |
Description | Getting the Message Across in the Twittersphere: How Remain and Leave Use Hashtags |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Blog post to communicate with general public as part of UKandEU fellowship |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.europeanfutures.ed.ac.uk/article-2186 |
Description | Herald article - The idea of Europe |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | newpaper article |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | IASH pop up on EU referendum |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | pop-up event on EU referendum |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Images of Europe |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Blog communication to general public as part of UKandEU fellowship |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.europeanfutures.ed.ac.uk/article-2980 |
Description | Imagining the EU: Words Associated with the EU and Europe |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Blog communication to general public as part of UKandEU fellowship |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.europeanfutures.ed.ac.uk/article-2033 |
Description | Imagining the European Union |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Blog communication with general public as part of UKandEU fellowship |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://ukandeu.ac.uk/imagining-the-european-union/ |
Description | In or Out and the Politics of Brexit - EU Referendum Roundtable Scottish Political Archive |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | EU Referendum Roundtable which sparked discussion afterwards and prompted further contact from audience |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Laura CRam discusses possibility if Scotland Leaving the United Kingdom and joining the European Union |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | STV interview, 28 June 2016 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Laura Cram - time to dissolve the people? - Irish Times |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Laura Cram - time to dissolve the people? - Irish Times |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Laura Cram Telegraph media tech article on Twitter and Brexit |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | article in Telegraph media tech section March 2017 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Laura Cram comments on Brexit - Financial Times |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Financial Times article |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Laura Cram discussesScotland's European Prospect post- Brexir |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Christian Science Monitor artice |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Laura Cram offers expert analysis of Brexit process |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Article in the Herald 27/8/2106 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Laura Cram provides Overnight referendum analysis on STV |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Overninght referendum analysis for STV |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Nicky Campbell interview BBC5 Live |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | radio interview on political psychology of Brexit |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Open Democracy Brexit blog |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Open Democracy Brexit blog |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | https://www.opendemocracy.net/brexitdivisions/ece-zlem-atikcan-claudia-sternberg/brexit-divisions-wh... |
Description | Post-Brexit Engagement event - Dublin, RIA |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Post-Brexit Engagement event - Dublin, RIA |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Professor Laura Cram comments on Aftermath of Brexit |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Christina Science Monitor 13 July 2016 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Professor Laura Cram comments on process of Tories picking a new leader |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Irish Times article |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Remain camp is losing the hashtag battle in the twittersphere |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Blog communication with general public as part of UKandEU fellowship |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://ukandeu.ac.uk/remain-camp-is-losing-the-hashtag-battle-in-the-euref-twittersphere/ |
Description | SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE EUROPEAN UNION COMMITTEE VISIT TO EDINBURGH, 16 DECEMBER 2015 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Evidence given to SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE EUROPEAN UNION COMMITTEE VISIT TO EDINBURGH, 16 DECEMBER 2015 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | SNP Conference Corporate Day |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Talk on EU referendum at SNP annual conference |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Scottish Federation of Housing Associations - Brexit Bulletins |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Monthly Brexit Bulletins for Scottish Federation of Housing Associations |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Sky News |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | TV interview on political psychology of Brexit |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | The use of #Migrant and #Refugee on Twitter |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Blog communication with general public as part of UKandEU fellowship |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://ukandeu.ac.uk/the-use-of-migrant-and-refugee-on-twitter/ |
Description | Twitter Sentiment Analysis on the UK's EU Membership |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Blog post to communicate with general public as part of UKandEU fellowship |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.europeanfutures.ed.ac.uk/article-2583 |
Description | UK and EU annual conference - interactive event and art exhibition |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | UK and EU annual conference - interactive event and art exhibition |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Your Image of the EU: Launch of #myimageoftheEU |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Blog communication to general public as part of UKandEU fellowship |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.europeanfutures.ed.ac.uk/article-2860 |
Description | Zocalo public Square - What Does Britain Owe Europe |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Zocalo public Square - What Does Britain Owe Europe - pubic engagement event, talk and reception |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.zocalopublicsquare.org/event/what-does-britain-owe-europe/ |
Description | feminising Politics - gender and twitter usage |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | workshop format with follow up discussion, followed by contact from audience members interested in follow up info |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | laura Cram and Clare Llewellyn monitor public opinion via social media - associated press |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Scouring social media on EU referendum - will it be more accurate than polls? The Conversation, 10 Jun 2016 Boistrous UK media fuel EU myths, but is anyone listening? Associated Press (International media), 12 Jun 2016 Boistrous UK media fuel EU myths, but is anyone listening? ABC News (International media), 12 Jun 2016 Boistrous UK media fuel EU myths, but is anyone listening? Yahoo! Singapore (International media), 12 Jun 2016 Boistrous UK media fuel EU myths, but is anyone listening? SF Gate (International media), 12 Jun 2016 Boistrous UK media fuel EU myths, but is anyone listening? The Seattle Times (International media), 12 Jun 2016 Boistrous UK media fuel EU myths, but is anyone listening? Star-Tribune (International media), 12 Jun 2016 Boistrous UK media fuel EU myths, but is anyone listening? The New Zealand Herald (International media), 12 Jun 2016 Boistrous UK media fuel EU myths, but is anyone listening? The Malta Independent (International media), 12 Jun 2016 Proud past is deep in the British national character Jyllands-Posten (International media), 19 Jun 2016 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | media briefing - PSA |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | media briefing - for Political Studies Association |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |