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Franco Zappettini, European identities in discourse: A

transnational citizens’ perspective. London:
Bloomsbury, 2019. Pp. 219. ....

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DOI: 10.1017/S0047404520000950

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 BOOK NOTES

the middle classes in French-speaking African countries represents an important

potential market.
Regarding the institutional use of French, ‘law and language are consubstantial,
because language is the mode of expression of legal thought’ (293). Thus, in the
case of Cameroon, a bilingual country, and other states, the choice of the French
language for legal procedures implies the designation of French law as a source
of legal precedent. Arbitration has a real impact on the activity of French-speaking
economic operators. According to data collected from the International Chamber of
Commerce (ICC) between 2005 and 2015, the number of African cases doubled
(from 68 to 125). The ICC also noted that business related to Africa is 60% conduct-
ed in French and 40% in English. Finally, to facilitate and strengthen trade and fi-
nancial exchanges between Francophones around the world, a virtual Francophone
currency was launched in 2018, the Paypite currency. This project also aims to con-
tribute to the creation of a Francophone economic union.
Regarding the use of French at work, the questionnaire results show that between
45% (Yaoundé and Douala) and 98% (Abidjan) of the respondents think that being
Francophone is essential to getting a job; in Accra, 92% of respondents consider
knowledge of French to be important for doing business with a French-speaking
country and 75% for obtaining a job; in Lagos, 52% agree with these two opinions;
and in Pretoria, 77% and 38% share these opinions, respectively. Another series of
surveys conducted in nine countries from different geographical areas, despite the
often-small samples, shows that English is the language most frequently mentioned
in job advertisements. French, however, is present and appears to be sought in the
following sectors: commercial relations and sales, international organizations
(governmental and nongovernmental), hotels, and tourism.
Generally, this book is very interesting and shows that French is not only present
but also opening the way to very different positions and sectors.
(Received 30 March 2020)

Language in Society 50 (2021)

doi:10.1017/S0047404520000950

FRANCO ZAPPETTINI, European identities in discourse: A transnational citizens’

perspective. London: Bloomsbury, 2019. Pp. 219. Hb. £95.
Reviewed by ASHLEY COOGAN
Department of English, Arizona State University
1102 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
ashley.coogan@asu.edu

In his research monograph European identities in discourse: A transnational

citizens’ perspective, Franco Zappettini explores the discursive negotiation of con-
temporary identities in the European Union. Using the tools of critical discourse
analysis (CDA) and qualitative inquiry, the author seeks to shed new light on

Language in Society 50:1 (2021) 159

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 BOOK NOTES

(supra)national identities and their sociocultural representation. Two guiding ques-

tions shape these seven chapters: how are citizens’ identities shaped, reproduced,
and challenged through discourse and what linguistic strategies do they use to
realize these identities? The book consists of seven chapters that guide readers
closer to the answers to these questions.
The first three chapters frame the study by introducing the reader to complex his-
torical and conceptual territory in a cogent and structured manner. The author
begins by unpacking transnationalism, language, citizenship, solidarity, and
related concepts. Some of the research imperatives he identifies include the need
for better representation of transnational citizens who are on the frontlines of recon-
structing European identity and theory that shifts the focus away from the nation
state towards individuals.
Chapter 4 lays out the author’s methodological approach to data collection and
analysis. To investigate the linguistic practices that contribute to transnational
identity formation, the author draws largely on CDA, specifically the discourse
historical approach. The data consist of interviews with members of European
Alternatives (EA), an organization that focuses on engaged citizenry and the
promotion of a culture beyond the nation-state. A foundational concept of EA is
that decisions by EU institutions be made through the lens of transnationalism.
In their interviews, EA members from the organization’s offices throughout the
EU discuss their perceptions of Europeanness, their identities, and the sociocultural
and political aspects of the ‘European project’.
In chapters 5 and 6, the author carries out thematic and in-depth analysis to
describe and discuss the linguistic strategies and topoi around membership,
interconnectivity, and nationalism, amongst others. These findings demonstrate
how Europeanness is indexed through language and highlight the importance of
understanding transnational identities in the ever-evolving sociocultural sphere of
the European community. Chapter 7 concludes by highlighting the impact that
future research in this area will have on defining the European community and,
ultimately, the practice of inclusion and exclusion.
A compelling feature of this book is that it represents citizens who are actively
engaged in the construction of a new European identity. Not only does it address
the sociopolitical implications of transnationalism for the European community,
it also leads to more nuanced understandings of the complex dynamics of trans-
nationalism in other contexts. In this way, the author succeeds in his aims to
further investigate how transnational identities are formed and the linguistic prac-
tices through which they are realized. This book would be a welcome resource for
students and researchers alike studying transnational identities and critical dis-
course analysis.
(Received 24 March 2020)

160 Language in Society 50:1 (2021)

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