Eurovision! â Reading Group Questions
Eurovision! – Reading Group Questions
What are your own first memories of the contest? How has it changed since then, and have these changes reflected changes in national life?
The author claims that the contest ‘has always been political’? Do you agree?
If it is political, should this be the case or should more effort be made to prevent this?
The author believes that the contest instantiates certain values that are at the heart of ‘being European’. Do such values actually exist, and if so, does the contest actually project them?
Were the two philosophers cited in the section on 2003 right to think that there is a ‘Core Europe’ that has different values to those of a European periphery?
Should countries like Israel, Turkey, Russia, Azerbaijan or Australia compete in Eurovision? Or should some of these compete but not others?
Does Eurovision succeed in bringing nations together, or does it simply demonstrate the difference between them?
The author argues that Eurovision invokes a spirit of ‘gentle nationalism’ that is about ‘enjoyment, participation and mutual respect’. He approves of this. Is such a nationalism possible, or is it always, ultimately, a divisive and damaging force?
What are your own first memories of the contest? How has it changed since then, and have these changes reflected changes in national life?
The author claims that the contest ‘has always been political’? Do you agree?
If it is political, should this be the case or should more effort be made to prevent this?
The author believes that the contest instantiates certain values that are at the heart of ‘being European’. Do such values actually exist, and if so, does the contest actually project them?
Were the two philosophers cited in the section on 2003 right to think that there is a ‘Core Europe’ that has different values to those of a European periphery?
Should countries like Israel, Turkey, Russia, Azerbaijan or Australia compete in Eurovision? Or should some of these compete but not others?
Does Eurovision succeed in bringing nations together, or does it simply demonstrate the difference between them?
The author argues that Eurovision invokes a spirit of ‘gentle nationalism’ that is about ‘enjoyment, participation and mutual respect’. He approves of this. Is such a nationalism possible, or is it always, ultimately, a divisive and damaging force?
