GlobalEurope Special Edition: "Eurovision: A Vision for Europe?"

The Center for German Studies is pleased to share the publication of a new special issue, “Eurovision: A Vision for Europe?”, now available in Global Europe. The issue brings together an interdisciplinary group of scholars to explore what the Eurovision Song Contest can reveal about Europe’s cultures, politics, and identities.

Eurovision: A Vision for Europe? – GlobalEurope  (introduction and links to articles)

Research – GlobalEurope  (research landing page)

 

The project began informally, over dinner, when a group of UVA Europeanists started discussing how to approach a topic that could be both engaging and intellectually rigorous. That conversation quickly grew into a week-long program on Grounds, with events co-sponsored by the Center for German Studies. The program featured talks, roundtables, and screenings, as well as lively discussions of Eurovision performances and controversies.

The newly published special issue translates these conversations into a scholarly format, bringing together expanded essays that developed out of these exchanges. Contributors include Dean Vuletic, Luca Cian, Ivan Raykoff, Catherine Baker, Ella Jackson, Kerem Coşar, Zvi Gilboa, Kyrill Kunakhovich, Peter Debaere, and the Director of the Center for German Studies, Manuela Achilles.

Together, their work highlights how Eurovision—often seen primarily as entertainment—can also serve as a powerful lens for understanding broader cultural and political dynamics across Europe and beyond.

 

The timing of the issue coincides with the upcoming Eurovision season, with semi-finals scheduled for May 12 and 14, followed by the Grand Final on May 16. As global audiences turn their attention to the contest, the special issue offers critical tools for interpreting its significance in a contemporary context.