Lija Amolins

Europe: Conceptualizing a Continent

        Is there something that distinguishes all Europeans, not including their national or local differences? Anthony Pagden explores this question in depth in his essay Conceptualizing a Continent. Pagden has looked into the history, the politics, the economics, law, religion, etc. of the collective entity of this vastly diverse continent in search of answers of this complex question. Does Europe actually have a collective identity, or is it hopeless to dream of a unified Europe. So many factors stand in the way of creating this identity still today- for example, as Cherise had explained to the class, something as simple as the preparation of cheese can keep countries from understanding and tolerating each other. Certain customs and traditions of a country that shape an individual country’s identity can often times stand in the way of a shared identity. Our class as a whole has debated endlessly whether there is legitimacy in this idea of Europe uniting to form its own identity, and Pagden’s essay has helped in giving more historical background information to help us determine such things.

        Pagden begins by exploring the origin of the name given to this huge continent, Europe. One version claims that the Phoenician princess Europa was carried off by Zeus who was disguised as a white bull, who wanted her to bear his children on the shore of what would be known today as Europe. Herodotus, a Greek writer, also suggested an alternate story which seemed more believable. He claimed that Europa was abducted by Cretan merchants in a bull-shaped ship and that she was to wed the King Asterius. The Cretans were what today would be considered Europeans. Europa herself was Asian, and this was considered an insult by the Asians, and this scuffle between the continents, Pagden claims, still continues.

        Pagden sums it all up by saying: “Thus an abducted Asian woman gave Europe her name; a vagrant Asian exile gave Europe its political and finally its cultural identity; and an Asian prophet gave Europe its religion.” (Pagden, Page 35) This proves that basically everything that Europe was and is today can be attributed to Asia. Edward Gibbon, on the other hand explains that it is the “union of religion, language, and manners” (Pagden, Page 39) which distinguishes Europe from Asia, for example. He explains that the structure of Ancient Greece can be applied to the modern model of Europe. Although Asia has had significant influence in the formation of European history, politics, and religion, it cannot be seen as a barrier in the formation of a European Identity. America had been colonized by Europeans, and much of its influence can still be seen in the United States today. This however, does not have an effect on the American sense of Identity. I doubt that Americans would attribute its European roots as having anything to do with the way we live today. Many ideas are borrowed, but it is what you do with those ideas later that distinguishes these continents. Ancient Greeks and Romans often borrowed ideas from Asia, but that does not mean that it cannot form its own identity by any means.

        Pagden later brings up the point that Europe was depicted as the first area of the Earth, the virgin country, which can be proven by Sebastian Munster’s Cosmographia which portrays Europe as this Queen. This gives the impression that Europe is the queen of the world, basically. Europe still considered itself the leader of the world, despite the fact that much of its foundation was scrounged from Asia.

        Pagden explains the importance of the derivation of such words as “politics” and “polity” as well as “civil”, “civility”, and “civilization” because they had once been used to describe the urban life which was characteristic of Europe. These words are now only seen as “abstract nouns”. For example, “polis” was used to describe the Greek city-state. In fact, the very idea of nation-states dates back to Greco-Roman times.

        One of the more interesting arguments presented by Pagden was his distinction between the continents’ own sense of identity. He claims that Europeans are much different in the sense that they have more trouble coming together as a country and accepting that there is an identity larger than that beyond an individual nation or city or community. Most “Europeans” would consider themselves “Irish” or “German” or “French” before ever calling themselves “European”. This is very interesting in the sense that Africa is so drastically different. According to Pagden, Uganda and Congo specifically are very conscious of their collective identity as all being “African”, which seems to be because of the constant threat of European colonialism. It is such things as European colonialism that can force a continent such as Africa to unite against all odds to preserve itself. This is something that would be difficult for Europe seeing as it has never been subjected to such threats.

        All in all, it is my opinion that Europe may not ever come together to form this European Identity. It seems there are too many differences between the countries for it to work. If such trivial things such as cultivation of cheeses are going to keep two countries bickering, then I feel it is only the beginning of this search for an identity. Each European country has such distinct characteristics in its culture and history that I feel it is impossible for Europe to ever decide on a European Identity. The idea of having such an identity also seems so abstract and vague that it would be difficult to set guidelines as to what Europe’s “identity” would be. Who is to say what would be and what would not be. The European Union is working to keep the peace and harmony in rules and regulations of the countries, but as far as accomplishing such a task as creating an identity, I feel it is highly unlikely.