
Europe's Stories Project
What story should Europe tell in the 21st-century? What do we want the EU to do by 2030? Our team, based in Oxford University, are going out to ask a wide range of Europeans about their formative, best and worst European moments. We are talking in greater depth to a number of Europeans, hearing their reflections on Europe's stories – and their own. We have also analysed a wide range of public opinion survey data, and are doing our own special polling in collaboration with the Eupinions project. The results are shown on the project website, https://europeanmoments.com/. We would also love to have your contribution, which you can share on https://europeanmoments.com/your-story. Contact us about anything else on info@europeanmoments.com
The project is directed by Professor Timothy Garton Ash and the Research Manager is Selma Kropp. For the project team see here. An advisory committee consists of leading Oxford academics: Professor Paul Betts, Dr Jonathan Bright, Professor Faisal Devji, Professor Carolin Duttlinger, Professor Robert Gildea, Professor Ruth Harris, Dr Sudhir Hazareesingh, Professor Andrew Hurrell, Dr Hartmut Mayer, Professor Kalypso Nicolaidis, Professor Rasmus Nielsen and Professor David Priestland.
Latest episodes

Oct 20, 2021 • 1h 5min
7. Timothy Garton Ash: Finale Interview | The Europe’s Stories Podcast
For something different in this series finale, we speak with Timothy Garton Ash, Professor of European Politics at Oxford and Director the Europe’s Stories Project. What have we found out about what young Europeans want the EU to be and to do? Why do we need to speak of both synergies and trade-offs? Do we find ourselves more or less optimistic about the future of Europe at the end of this project? Timothy gives us his take on the findings and questions that resulted from the ES Project. He also gives us a sneak peek into his upcoming book, a personal history of contemporary Europe. This episode was hosted by Ana Martins and Lucas Tse, and edited by Billy Craigan. A huge thanks to the Europe’s Stories team. To view the show notes and to find more information about The Europe’s Stories Podcast, check out europeanmoments.com/podcast.

Oct 12, 2021 • 56min
6. Europe in the World | The Europe’s Stories Podcast
Marianna Lovato and Olivier de France, experts on foreign policy and international politics, discuss the EU as a superpower, the connection between foreign policy and fundamental EU values, key recommendations for EU's foreign policy, listening to the younger generation and addressing climate change, and hope for the future of foreign policy in Europe.

Oct 5, 2021 • 1h 1min
5. Democracy | The Europe’s Stories Podcast
Today, we talk with Sophie Vériter and Josef Lolacher about the core of the European project - democracy. How solid is this core? We talk about democratic backsliding, the perceived inefficiency of consensual regimes, and Europe in a changing world of populist and authoritarian tendencies. What can and should the EU do to defend this community of values? How much do most of us really understand about what the EU has achieved and the tools currently at its disposal? This episode was hosted by Ana Martins and Lucas Tse, and edited by Billy Craigan. Huge thanks to the Europe’s Stories team. To view the show notes and to find more information about The Europe’s Stories Podcast, check out www.europeanmoments.com/podcast.

Sep 28, 2021 • 1h
4. Social Europe | The Europe’s Stories Podcast
Ana and Lucas speak today with our team’s specialists on the things that bring quality of life to Europeans - jobs, industry and the welfare state. Coming from North Macedonia, Kristijan Fidanovski has a keen interest in the intersection between social policy and EU enlargement, whereas Guillaume Paugam joins us immediately after a stint at the European Commission. Our polls found that 71% of Europeans believe the state should give all citizens a basic income. Which institutions should be responsible for social policy? Should we consider a European welfare state to be an oxymoron? For young Europeans, how do social agendas sit next to the urgency of climate action? This episode was hosted by Ana Martins and Lucas Tse, and edited by Billy Craigan. Huge thanks to the Europe’s Stories team. ‘To view the show notes and to find more information about The Europe’s Stories Podcast, check out europeanmoments.com/podcast.'

Sep 21, 2021 • 57min
3. Free Movement | The Europe’s Stories Podcast
Ana and Lucas speak today with Victoria Honsel and Reja Wyss, who co-wrote the report chapter on climate action. Both have also been young Europeans actively involved in politics. Our polls found that 58% of Europeans want the EU to be carbon neutral by 2030, with an additional 20% aiming for 2040. What measures are acceptable for managing this transition—for example, should short haul flights be banned? How do democratic regimes fare in comparison with authoritarian governments in tackling climate change? Is there a ‘Generation Greta’ that cares more about climate than older Europeans?
This episode was hosted by Ana Martins and Lucas Tse, and edited by Billy Craigan. Huge thanks to the Europe’s Stories team. Show notes at: europeanmoments.com/podcast

Sep 14, 2021 • 56min
2. Free Movement | The Europe’s Stories Podcast
Ana and Lucas speak today with Luisa Melloh, who manages the project behind this series. Many things flow across borders - capital, goods, ideas - but young Europeans also assume that they themselves can move freely and with ease. One of our polls found that nearly three-quarters of Europeans agree that the EU would not be worth having without freedom of movement. At the same time, Europeans do not all benefit from this freedom in the same way. Why has free movement emerged as such a formative experience? Is its formative impact unique to this generation? This episode was hosted by Ana Martins and Lucas Tse, and edited by Billy Craigan. Huge thanks to the Europe’s Stories team.
To view the show notes and to find more information about The Europe’s Stories Podcast, check out europeanmoments.com/podcast.

Sep 7, 2021 • 1h 3min
1. Who Are Young Europeans | The Europe’s Stories Podcast
Today, Ana and Lucas speak with Dan Snow and Maeve Moynihan about who young Europeans are. This generation is not used to thinking of Europe as divided by war or wall, but it is living through a pandemic, and its shared experiences will determine the future of the European project. What makes them different from other generations? Will they make up a Generation C(ovid)? How much do they trust the EU on what matters most? See show notes and more information at europeanmoments.com/podcast.

Jun 12, 2020 • 33min
10th Anniversary Dahrendorf Lecture and Colloquium 8. Concluding discussion:from cacophony to polyphony?
What Stories Does Europe Tell? Contested Narratives, Complex Histories, Conflicted Union. With Natalie Nougayrede (Guardian), Daniel Judt (Oxford) Chair: Timothy Garton Ash (Oxford).

Jun 12, 2020 • 45min
10th Anniversary Dahrendorf Lecture and Colloquium 7. Europe's stories seen from outside
What Stories Does Europe Tell? Contested Narratives, Complex Histories, Conflicted Union. With Pratap Bhanu Mehta (Ashoka University, Delhi), Sonia Lucarelli (University of Bologna), Khaled Fahmy (Cambridge) Chair: Faisal Devji (Oxford). Held in St Antony's College, Oxford on 2nd and 3rd May 2019.

Jun 11, 2020 • 36min
10th Anniversary Dahrendorf Lecture and Colloquium 6. Europe's insider outsiders
What Stories Does Europe Tell? Contested Narratives, Complex Histories, Conflicted Union. With Ayyam Sureau (Association Pierre Claver, Paris), Katalin Barsony (Romedia, Budapest), Ayse Kadioglu (Sabanci University, Istanbul), Chair: Ruth Harris (Oxford).