The Transnationalization of Public Spheres takes a fresh look at a widely debated question in international relations and political communication research: How can public discourses contribute to democratic governance beyond the nation state? Focusing on the 'democratic deficit' of the European Union it analyzes to what extent domestic media discourses bridge the gulf between the EU and its citizens. The book combines quantitative and qualitative analyses of media content and evaluates them from a democratic theory perspective.