In his research monograph European identities in discourse: A transnational citizens’ perspective, Franco Zappettini explores the discursive negotiation of contemporary identities in the European Union. Using the tools of critical discourse analysis (CDA) and qualitative inquiry, the author seeks to shed new light on (supra)national identities and their sociocultural representation. Two guiding questions shape these seven chapters: how are citizens’ identities shaped, reproduced, and challenged through discourse and what linguistic strategies do they use to realize these identities? The book consists of seven chapters that guide readers closer to the answers to these questions.
The first three chapters frame the study by introducing the reader to complex historical and conceptual territory in a cogent and structured manner. The author begins by unpacking transnationalism, language, citizenship, solidarity, and related concepts. Some of the research imperatives he identifies include the need for better representation of transnational citizens who are on the frontlines of reconstructing European identity and theory that shifts the focus away from the nation state towards individuals.
Chapter 4 lays out the author's methodological approach to data collection and analysis. To investigate the linguistic practices that contribute to transnational identity formation, the author draws largely on CDA, specifically the discourse historical approach. The data consist of interviews with members of European Alternatives (EA), an organization that focuses on engaged citizenry and the promotion of a culture beyond the nation-state. A foundational concept of EA is that decisions by EU institutions be made through the lens of transnationalism. In their interviews, EA members from the organization's offices throughout the EU discuss their perceptions of Europeanness, their identities, and the sociocultural and political aspects of the ‘European project’.
In chapters 5 and 6, the author carries out thematic and in-depth analysis to describe and discuss the linguistic strategies and topoi around membership, interconnectivity, and nationalism, amongst others. These findings demonstrate how Europeanness is indexed through language and highlight the importance of understanding transnational identities in the ever-evolving sociocultural sphere of the European community. Chapter 7 concludes by highlighting the impact that future research in this area will have on defining the European community and, ultimately, the practice of inclusion and exclusion.
A compelling feature of this book is that it represents citizens who are actively engaged in the construction of a new European identity. Not only does it address the sociopolitical implications of transnationalism for the European community, it also leads to more nuanced understandings of the complex dynamics of transnationalism in other contexts. In this way, the author succeeds in his aims to further investigate how transnational identities are formed and the linguistic practices through which they are realized. This book would be a welcome resource for students and researchers alike studying transnational identities and critical discourse analysis.
