What is “Europe”? Where are its boundaries?

The question of “What is Europe” is not as simple as it might seem. Defining “Europe” is actually quite intricate and there are a lot of caveats to what the answer might be. However, the answer to this perplexing question is purely dependent on the perspective one decides to look at it with. The most basic way to answer the question of “What is Europe” would be to answer it through a geographic lens. When looking at Europe through a geographical standpoint, the boundary to the west would be the Atlantic Ocean, the boundary to the south would be the Mediterranean Sea, the boundary to the north would be the Arctic Ocean, and the boundary to the East would be the Ural Mountains of Russia. In terms of definition, looking at this question through a geographic lense would most likely give you the most objective answer to “What is Europe” and what are its boundaries. However, in delving deeper into the question and changing the lens to more of “European identity”, the definition gets a bit more muddled and confusing. According to Glencross, in European history, even though all the countries spoke different languages, there was a huge commonality that bonded most people of Europe. That commonality was through religion in which almost everyone in Europe was a Christian. Religion made Europeans differ with the people from Asia and Africa, so to be European meant you had to be Christian. However, with the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire, who were Muslims, meant that there were non-Christians in Europe. According to Glencross, the Pope wanted to defend Christian Europe and that these Muslim invaders were not deemed to be European. Essentially, in this historical case, the barometer of what made someone European was if they were Christian or not.

Today, the viewpoint people often most look through is not a historical viewpoint or a religious viewpoint, rather the viewpoint people look through is a viewpoint of whether or not a country that is within the geographic confines of Europe is in the European Union. The European Union is a union that is both economic and political and has 28 members currently. However, within that definition of the European Union, there are many caveats. While there are 28 countries in the European Union, only 19 of those countries are a part of the Eurozone, which is the monetary union of Europe. All in all, while it may be hard to define Europe, what is important to notice is that it is a definition that changes over time, so right now it could mean EU membership is the indicator of what Europe, but in 20 years that may not be the case.

 

The Idea of Europe (Portugal)

The idea of Europe, much like the question “what is Europe”, is very nuanced. The reason for this is that the idea of Europe is extremely subjective. Depending on what country or person is talking, their idea of what Europe is could be astronomically different. There are many different factors into what they might think is European so depending on how they define Europe, their idea of what Europe is might be different.

My case study country is Portugal which is a member of the European Union. Portugal is located west of Spain and is nestled in the southwest corner of Europe. Portugal has been part of the EU since 1986 and is involved in many of the EU’s functions. For example, Portugal is a member of the Eurozone and is a member of the Schengen area. The Schengen Area is free movement of people through European countries and allows anyone in the EU to work in any country that is apart of the Schengen Area. Being apart of the Schengen Area makes Portugal extremely integrated to the rest of Europe and more specifically the EU. From a historical viewpoint, Portugal has been one of the most established countries. During 15th and 16th century Portugal built a power navy and built a vast global empire throughout the New World during that time period. At this time period, a majority of the established European countries were colonizing the rest of the world, so within a historical framework Portugal very much fits in with this idea of Europe. From a religious perspective, Portugal has always extremely Christians and have staunchly followed the pope. Because of the country’s closeness to Christianity, one could easily say Portugal fits in under this idea of Europe. In modern day Europe, Portugal is extremely involved in the European Union, having 21 members in the EU parliament. Additionally, Portugal is a consistent figure in the EU council. By a modern day idea of Europe, Portugal completely submits to this ideal. Furthermore, because of its history and religious affiliations make it all the more encompassing of submitting to the idea of Europe.   

 

Works Cited

 

Anonymous. “Portugal – European Union – European Commission.” European Union. September 04, 2018. Accessed September 14, 2018. https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/countries/member-countries/portugal_en.

 

Anonymous. “Schengen Area – Migration and Home Affairs – European Commission.” Together Against Trafficking in Human Beings. December 06, 2016. Accessed September 14, 2018. https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas/schengen_en.

 

Glencross, Andrew. The Politics of European Integration: Political Union or a House Divided? Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Wiley Blackwell, 2014.