Work

Mapping Euroscepticism Across Occupational Classes: Economic and Cultural Capital in Comparative Perspective

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Public attitudes towards the EU have fluctuated significantly over the past two decades, with Euroscepticism gaining ground across various national contexts. Previous research indicates that Euroscepticism is most prevalent among the working class and petty bourgeoisie. This article revisits this argument by exploring whether these class-based patterns persist across different national contexts and examining the role of cultural capital in shaping these divides. This study uses survey data from nine European countries to map occupational classes within a two-dimensional framework of cultural and economic capital, drawing on Bourdieu’s theory of social space and Oesch’s class scheme. Principal component analyses reveal that support for the EU aligns with class divisions, showing that sociocultural professionals tend to be strongly pro-EU, while production workers exhibit more Eurosceptic attitudes. Regression analyses confirm the significance of cultural capital, even within broadly Eurosceptic countries such as Serbia and Switzerland. These findings highlight the need to contextualize class-based explanations and to consider how cultural capital shapes EU attitudes across different national settings.

Source: Politics and Governance

DOI: 10.17645/pag.11056

Author: Valentina Petrović

Institution: University of Zurich

Language: English

Topic: European Union Policy and Governance

Subfield: Political Science and International Relations

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,132