what is european? (15)

what is european? (14)

Brussels, 2005

Maybe no one can explain what European identity is. But it’s maybe possible to explain what is Europeanization. Europeanization is the sharing of experiences among Europeans and the respective process of imagining a common identity. Probably the success of this on-going project will depends on the economic and social integration of Europe, and on the EU capacity to proportionate to all Europeans access to full citizenship: education on a high standard, employment and social security.

what is european? (13)

Figueira da Foz, 2007

The contact between groups influences the productions of (self) representations of identities of those groups. Those on-going identities use to detach what is identical between the elements of the “in group” and to exaggerate differences about the “out-group”. It is the contact with difference that not only makes the consciousness of identity, but also changes it, obliging to assume it self.

what is european? (12)

London, 2006

Politicians use religious, linguistic, racial or economic differences to distinguish who is with or against “national citizens”. The existence of an “Other”, of an enemy from the people increase unity among nationals. An aggressive Russia, a possible Chernobyl new catastrophe, George Bush administration, immigration, terrorism or orthodox muslin threaten, have potential to create the necessary fear among Europeans. “They” (no matter who they are) will be the threaten. “We” (no matter who we are) will be the victims.

what is european? (11)

Coimbra, 2007

“Someone knock the door

– you didn’t open”

The lack of interest of the Europeans concerning to the EU political system is evident. Most of them have never heard about the Court of Justice or the Council of Ministers. Average Europeans knows little about how the European Union works, which also is a problem in the development of an European identity. The increasing of consumption and leisure values is accompanied with a decrease of the politic involvement, especially between youngsters. The European power in Brussels is precept as something confused, bureaucratic and distant from the common elector and the number of non-voters for the European Parliament is significant in most of the countries. The general indifference concerning to those issues may also means a passive resistance against the political structure, which politicians have not been able to face in an efficient way.

what is european? (10)

Scotland, 2001

In Aberdeen, a football fan from Hibernian FC says that he is from Inverness. In Edinburgh, people can think that he is from the Highlands. In London, he might fell from Scotland. In vacancies in Spain perhaps from the United Kingdom. In Japan, maybe he will feel European.

what is european? (9)

London, 2006

Despite all the differences between regions, in the western European countries is possible to find a similar pattern of economic development. Social life progressed along similar lines everywhere, based on a high-developed trading system involving the exchange of goods, labour and know-how. This western capitalist trading system formed social groups predisposed to a transnational identification and a common culture could take hold. In fact, economy has being the engine of the European construction and Euro becomes, inclusively, the main European symbol. However not all Europeans uses or even wants to use Euro, and 2004 enlargement increased the economic diversity within the members States. Once more, European identity is an on-going concept.

what is european? (8)

London, 2006

Since the late 1960s, the western world knew an intellectual movement that questioned old certainties such as modernisation, progress, reason and positivism. A new generation, more informed and critic become aware of environmental, Human Rights or historical problems. Far from being the triumph of civilisation over irrationality, tyranny and violence, Europe becomes a metaphor for post-imperial and self-punishment. If values as liberty, democracy, tolerance or peace are being considered as part of the European Union, Europe is also scepticism, contradictions and diversity. Did European Union born from an European nihilism?

what is european? (7)

Coimbra, 2007

Europe is known as the origin of several politic ideologies such as democracy, capitalism or socialism. Free thought, individualism or humanism are other principles that have their roots in Athens or Rome. However, neither Greek nor Roman civilisations can be described as Europeans. Both were Mediterranean cultures with centres of influence in Asia Minor, Africa and the Middle East. Historians have founded some European ideals back in the Renaissance period. The Enlightenment and the French Revolution contributed to the demand for freedom, equality, fraternity, democracy, self-determination, equal opportunities for all, clearly defined government powers, separation between the powers of church and state, freedom of the press and human rights. However, European history is also characterised by the existence of the inquisition, absolutist regimes, colonial imperialism, Nazism, censorship or intolerance.

what is european? (6)

Marseille, 2007

Politicians use religious, linguistic, ethnical or economic elements to imagine limits of national identities. Beside those elements, it is important to imagine an outside member, an enemy of the people, in order to unify the group against a threaten and to increase national identity. The communist threaten during cold war somehow help western Europeans to develop a wide sense of identity. According to some conservator political speeches, an aggressive orthodox muslin world is nowadays the new outside member for the western world. This negative construction of identity is responsible for the exclusion of the Other, and imagines new walls where there was a complex historic relationship: “Who are you? We are not them!”

what is european? (5)

Maastricht, 2005

Although Christianity has its roots in Judaism (which is a religion from the Middle East), Christian tradition is a common aspect of the European pass. During the crusade movement and the holly wars against the Muslin world in the middle age, Christianity was a strong point of identification in Europe. However, while the Southern Europeans are Roman Catholic most of north Europeans are Protestant and not ruled by the Vatican. It is possible to find strong differences in both cultures. In the pass, this common background was more a motive of war and division than of unity between people and cultures. Recently, immigration has increased Muslin, Hindu or animist population in the European States, most of times with European citizenship. Turkish presence in Germany, Algerians in France, Indians and Pakistanis in England are only few examples of the religious diversity in Europe.

(futebol)ismos (2)

Estádio Municipal de Braga, 2004, jogo Holanda-Estónia.

Last Mars 24, during the football mach Lithuania-France, for the qualifying to the 2008 European championship, the French team was received in the stadium with the band "Bienvenue à L’Europe". Meanwhile, Europeans are still thinking about what is European.

what is european? (4)

Brussels, 2004

Inside Europe, political borders have always been problematic. In a complex system of relations between tribes, dynasties, states or empires, invasions and contra-invasions all the political processes in Europe seem to be interconnected and changing since ancient times. European people have lived in wars during great part of the last millennium, the worst of them in the XX century. Despite diversity is a constituent part of an European culture, the official speech is that historical contact between cultures in Europe is a reality and the relationship between Europeans made possible the sharing of several cultural aspects. According to this principle, in all places where proximity resulted in demarcation or deteriorated coexistence into rivalry and ultimately war, shared experience has left a deep imprint on Europeans.

what is european? (3)

S. Petersburg, 2002

The geographic limits of Europe are undecided but it is used to point the Urals Mountains in the east, the Caspian Sea and the strait of Bosfor in the southeast. In this geographic definition, a huge area of Russia and part of Turkey belong to the European continent. There will be always a political and an imaginary line, splitting peoples and cultures.

what is european? (2)

Berlin, 2005

The main fathers of the European Union have in common the fact that they were all born in the XIX century, they lived the two World Wars, they were from near national borders (Robert Schuman, Konrad Adenauer, Alcide de Gasperi) or far way from the main capitals (Winston Churchill or Jean Monet). At 18 years old, Jean Monet were already a business man from the wines of his family, which make him travel around Europe and north America. Monet rejected any kind of nationalist idea. John Kennedy call him a State Man of the World – with a simple idea he made more to unify Europe in 20 years that all the conquers in one thousand years.

O percurso dos principais políticos fundadores da União Europeia teve em comum o facto de todos terem nascido todos no século XIX, de terem vivido as duas grandes guerras, de serem oriundos de locais fronteiriços (Robert Schuman, Konrad Adenauer, Alcide de Gasperi) ou longe das respectivas capitais (Winston Churchill ou Jean Monet). Jean Monet, que aos 18 anos de idade já era «caixeiro-viajante» dos vinhos da família, viajou não só pela Europa como no continente americano e rejeitava qualquer ideia de nacionalismo. John Kennedy chamou-lhe, inclusive, o homem de Estado do Mundo: com uma simples ideia ele fizera mais para unir a Europa em 20 anos do que todos os seus conquistadores em mil anos.

what is european?

Berlin, 2005

In 1957 the high representatives of the six Member States who assisted to the Treaty of Rome signature didn’t imagine that 50 years later it would be celebrated in Berlin, with the presence of 27 member states, 12 of them from the old east part of the iron curtain. Angela Merkel, President of the unified Germany, was born in the east part of Berlin. Merkel was 3 years old when the Treaty of Rome was signed and seven when the Berlin wall was built, separating her family and offering her as only horison a no way out street. This new generation of politicians is thinking: We’ve made Europe. Now we have to make Europeans.

Em 1957, os altos representantes dos 6 Estados Membros que assinaram o Tratado de Roma não imaginavam que, 50 anos mais tarde, ele seria celebrado em Berlim com a presença de representantes de 27 Estados membros, 12 dos quais oriundos da antiga parte leste da cortina de ferro. Angela Merkel, então presidente da Alemanha unificada, nasceu na parte leste de Berlim. Merkel tinha 3 anos de idade aquando da assinatura do Tratado de Roma e sete quando o Muro de Berlim foi erguido, separando a sua família e oferecendo-lhe como único horizonte uma rua sem saída. Esta nova geração de políticos enfrenta agora a questão: Fizemos a Europa. Agora temos que fazer os europeus.