Burying the Hatchet or Sticking in the Knife? UK & Germany in the Eurozone Crisis
Simon Usherwood, University of Surrey
British public debate and discourse about Germany is usually poorly-informed, with frequent reference to the Second World War or to 'Teutonic efficiency'. In this paper, we will consider how this discursive framing has played out and shaped British understanding of the eurozone crisis. The central tension that is identified lies in the representation of such supposed 'German qualities': on the one hand, there is (ironically) schadenfreude at the difficulties that Germany now faces, an almost psychic punishment for past transgressions; on the other, a sense that there is method in the madness and that underlying everything there is a masterplan. The paper argues that neither approach is particularly helpful in building meaningful understanding and engagement.