Hi all!
UPD: thank you all for insightful answers. I am even more confused, but I find fascinating how fluctuating and alive the concept of Europe seems to be, reflecting the relationships between countries, geography, cultural context and even languages. Seems to be a valid PhD topic! Cheers!
I have an ultimately silly question for the thread, but I think it might be the best place to ask about it. I come from Russia and lived in Europe for around 6-7 years. And last weekend I realized I don’t know what do Europeans normally mean when mentioning Europe. Is it EEA? EU?
I’ve mentioned in a random convo that sometime in 2000s Moscow was one of the most expensive cities in Europe, and I was told off that I should not ever say it like that.
I was taught at school back in Russia that Europe is a continent, and the division lies between tectonic plates or something. That means, that there’s a European and Asian parts of Russia, like there are 2 sides of Istanbul sitting on two continents.
I understand, in Europe the most common understanding in Europe is not geographical, but, perhaps, political?
Is Belarus Europe? (I would say yes?) Then what about transcontinental countries? Like, Georgia is Europe and Azerbaijan is not? What about Armenia? (I’ve heard both interpretations).
Right now, my gut feeling is that all transcontinental countries kinda chose their sides? (Like, Georgia chooses European integration and Azerbaijan doesn’t). Could it be most common religion? (Doesn’t quite work tho?)
I’m only asking to clear my confusion, not to bait. I’m not suggesting anything. There’s a difference in education, and knowing how biased post-soviet education, I think I need to understand the conversation better.
Upd: typo on the subject linem
Well as you say, there are multiple ways people see it. I think it’s quite foolish to tell someone off for saying Moscow is in europe, as it clearly is.
I think the most common way europe is used by people within the EU is to mean countries within the EU and maybe countries the EU is friendly with within europe?
I got the same understanding from this thread: its as mix of geography, culture, alliances, language, and also perspective. My friends from both USA and China where I lived considered me (a Russian) European, buffing me. I’m considering Belarus and Ukraine European, but some central/western Europeans do not. It’s very confusing, but also very interesting!
As a EU citizen, if I wanted to refer to that, I’d just say EU & Schengen. That about conveys the same countries anyways.
When I mean Europe, I mean the area delineated by the Caspian and Black Seas, the Ural mountains and its same-named river on one side, the Northern and Atlantic Seas on two others, and the end of the Mediterranean on the south.
I’d do the same. But I often hear politicians and people around me refer to a “stronger europe”. I think they refer to the EU, unless they also want to see Russia stronger.
In that context, russia is Asia.
Our first federal chancellor, Konrad Adenauer, supposedly once (~ 1950s) said: “When I reach the North German Plain near Magdeburg, that’s where Asia begins for me”
Back then, there was the border to the Soviet occupation zone.