Nationality and the European Union. Competing Identities in the Visual design of Four European Cities.

Abstract: In this study, we integrate visual and linguistic
research to analyze the relationship between a city's regional,
national, transnational, and European identities as the face of
four cities depicts it. We explore the cultural identity of
Brussels, Luxembourg, Munich and Dortmund through the study of
public signs found in these cities. We examine how the choice of
language, layout, typography, accompanying images, and
positioning of city signs reflect the tenions involving the cange
from a national or regional identity to a Pan-European identity.
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