Authors

• Pehkonen, Juhani (Gallup Finland)

Keywords

European Community, European Union, European integration, foreigners, information sources, national identity, prejudice, schoolchildren, youth

Abstract

The present survey was conducted in 1993 when Finland initiated its European Community membership negotiations. The aim was to canvass schoolchildren's attitudes and awareness of the European Community. The respondents were Finnish, Swedish, and Norwegian pupils of comprehensive and senior secondary schools living in Brussels, and Finnish pupils living in Finland. Opinions and expectations regarding the potential EU membership of their country were monitored, as well as attitudes towards internationalisation and foreigners. The respondents were asked to estimate how necessary the membership is to their country, and what kind of consequences it would have. Sources of EC-related information were also mapped. A separate section of questions dealt with national identity and children's attitudes towards people of different nationalities.