Europa ante portas: Border residence, transnational interaction and Euroscepticism in Germany and France

Abstract

This article builds on previous findings that border residents are less prone to be Eurosceptic. First, it enhances measurement by using a more exact distinction between border and core districts. Second, it extends theory by arguing that the lower propensity towards Euroscepticism among border residents is the result of their greater involvement in transnational networks and interactions. Third, the article adds to the interest-or-identity discussion in Euroscepticism research by distinguishing between goal-oriented and sociable forms of transnational interactions and testing their impact on Euroscepticism. Multilevel analyses of Eurobarometer data for France and Germany show that (1) the border effect holds only in Germany, (2) it is mediated by individual transnationalism, and (3) sociable forms of interaction are key to structuring attitudes towards European integration. © The Author(s) 2011.