The Evolution of Communicative Practices in the European Union. A Discourse Perspective

The discourse of the European Union is undergoing remarkable changes that also find reflection in new communicative practices at institutional level. Against a background of widespread Europessimism and deficit in perceived legitimacy, these changes mainly result from the need to promote EU values and identity more effectively, while prompting civic participation and popular endorsement. In this respect, the EUROPA website represents a node of interaction between citizens and institutions and a constitutive element in fuelling public consensus and (re)building a sense of belonging to the EU. Through the lens of critical discourse analysis and visual semiotics, this study sets off to investigate the discursive construction of the EU as a social actor in instances of symmetrical and asymmetrical interaction with the citizens. A longitudinal analysis of the textual and visual formulations of the EU’s website reveals the emergence of new consensus building strategies, where priority is increasingly placed on the practical achievements reached by the EU and on the ensuing rights and benefits that are granted to its citizens.