Open AccessBetween Economic Utility and Regional Attachment: The EMU and Eastern Enlargement in the Spanish Eye
Author(s) -
Susanna Kislenko
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
review of european and russian affairs
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1718-4835
DOI - 10.22215/rera.v5i1.203
Subject(s) - resizing , public opinion , context (archaeology) , european union , argument (complex analysis) , ordinary least squares , politics , political science , order (exchange) , positive economics , economics , law , geography , international economics , econometrics , biochemistry , chemistry , archaeology , finance
This paper uses Spain as the case study in furthering understanding of the forces that influence public opinion, specifically as they exist within the contemporary European context. To evaluate this, the focus is on two primary issues: the European Monetary Union (EMU) and the Eastern Enlargement. In order to explore the relationship between opinions towards EU membership, the Euro and support for enlargement, ordinary least squares (OLS) and logistic multivariate regression methods are used to model public opinion development. The argument put forth in this paper is that the formation of public opinion is influenced by both regional dynamics and utilitarian economic considerations. Within this framework, the concept of political symbolism is explored in uncovering the influence of cognitive mobilization, group attachment and cost-benefit factors as they relate to Spanish opinion on widening and deepening of the European Union.