Shifting Identities of Europe: From Myth to Modernity

1. Europe, Greece, Shifting Identities

2. Shifting Identities of Europe • For the ancient Greeks, Europe was defined as a geographical area and as a mythological entity. • Geographical area=one of the three known continents Europe, Asia, Libya (Africa) • Mythological entity=Europa, the Phoenician princess who was taken by Zeus to Greece and gave her name to the continent. • During the ancient times the people that we call today “Europeans” have no coherent sense of any group identity as inhabitants of the same continent.

5. Shifting Identities of Europe • A European identity begins to develop for a first time during the medieval period. • Europe is defined as the area (geographical and ideological) of the Western Christianity. • That excludes Eastern Christianity (Greece, Russia, Balkan States) • This dichotomy will continue under different forms even to our days. • Cf. Western ≠ Eastern Europe • Democratic ≠ Communist Europe

7. Greece and Europe • In this respect, the Europeans defined themselves as different from the “modern” Greeks and the Greeks as different from the Europeans, since religion was always a dominant factor of identity in both Greece and Europe. • However in political terms Greece was part of the common European identity since not only it offered the idea and the concept of democracy to Europe but also it was part of the European political interests during the modern times.

8. Shifting Identities of Europe • During the age of exploration Europe defined itself as the only civilized area of the world. • From the late renaissance to the modern times, the role of religion as an aspect of the European identity is diminishing and is being replace by the notions of European culture and civilization.

9. Greece between 1453-1821 • While these developments take place in Europe, Greece is under the yoke of the Ottoman Empire. (1453-1821)

10. Greece between 1453-1821-Consequences • Greece misses the advancements that take place in renaissance. • Europe rediscovers Greece during renaissance • Modern Greece rediscovers Greece through Europe in the years of Greek Enlightenment.

11. Greece between 1453-1821-Consequences • In the context of a foreign Muslim occupation, Orthodox Christianity becomes the only aspect of a unique Greek identity that can hold together and distinguish the Greeks not only from their conquerors but also from the rest of Europeans. • At the establishment of the Greek state the fathers of the Greek nation have to make a tough choice. • They have to decide whether they can eliminate any of these two elements (Europe/non-Europe) or to combine them into something new.

12. European Identity Today • In the 1940s Federico Chabod, an Italian historian, wrote one of the earliest books on the European identity, and gave emphasis to its two most important elements of it namely ancient Greece and the Age of the Enlightenment. • Since the middle of the twentieth century, European identity has usually been seen as built on three pillars dating from the classical period: Greek reason and rational thinking, Roman law and order, and Christian faith and religion

13. Greece and Europe Today • All this means that in the 20s century Europe came close to Greece and Greece came close to Europe. • Of course anti-European nationalistic elements, still exist and in certain issues (cf. Greek ID cards) they appear dominant. • Yet, after Greece achieved full membership in the EU in 1981 a large portion of the gap has been bridged.