I’m from Iceland, and I don’t really consider myself European. In the hierarchy of my identifiers (is that the word?), it would be pretty low. I’d put being from the west above it, and of course being Nordic. But I’m guessing that it’s maybe different if you’re from mainland Europe.
This question first came to my mind when browsing the League of Legends subreddit, as there’s a rivalry between the NA league and the EU league, and I was surprised by how serious and tribalistic the EU fans got over their teams. When I started watching League, I wasn’t drawn towards any region in particular, and actually became a fan of the NA league, and mostly root against EU in tournaments.
Since then, I’ve asked some friends and family, and have had a lot of different and interesting responses, so wanted to ask here as well. But for me, if Iceland or an Icelander is not playing, it might as well be any other country (except DK, who I’ll always root against).
47 comments
It’s important to me, and I would rank it over being German, but it’s not super important .
I grew up in Germany, but have lived in Norway since I was 19, which makes using both as my main identity difficult. I’m not Norwegian on paper, I don’t have a Norwegian upringing so obviously to many people I’m not Norwegian in any way. Most people don’t question me being German since that’s where I’m from and it is what my passport says, but I haven’t lived in Germany for over 10 years, I have never lived an adult life there, I don’t have much contact to Germans except my family and it’s feeling more and more removed the longer I’ve lived elsewhere. Also, like a stereotypical German, putting a lot of value on my nationality as my main identity feels a little wrong.
So European is a nice little word that fits and that nobody can argue against.
Somewhat… I feel English first, then British, then European. Which I guess makes sense. In the World Cup I will always support a European team over a non-European one, though I’m struggling a bit to get behind France after they knocked us out!
Yes definitely. I feel as european as I feel German. European unity and integration is what we can contribute to every day, while German unity(In sense of Germany as nation) is something that is just a given at this point
It is for me, but I’m certainly in the minority. I’ve lived/worked in four European countries, two of them for a long time, and I am a very big EU supporter. European culture is certainly diverse enough that some countries feel very foreign when visiting but I definitely identify as European. Which isn’t about the physical landmass of course, my idea of a European identity is not just about the location and history but also a somewhat shared idea of political and social values, so the areas where “European identity” applies for me are roughly EU and friends. That’s not the same as geographic or historical Europe, so I use “Europe” in different meanings depending on the context.
I feel this way in part because I remember what things were like in the USSR, a very different project that covered a great lot of land, so to me the EU is (mostly) how I’d like to see the continent, while USSR is mostly thing I never want to experience again.
Not at all; being ‘Danish’ is hardly something I identify actively as, much less so other such communities, be they ‘Scandinavian,’ ‘Nordic,’ or ‘European.’
I just don’t recognise the feeling of actively identifying with a nationality; i.e. I don’t attribute much meaning to being Danish in particular, though I, as my flair also tells, recognise that I _am_ Danish. But for all I care, I could just as well be German, Swedish or Norwegian, I feel no special connection to Denmark _as such_, other than the fact that, again, I _am_ Danish, born and raised, ‘socialised as’ Danish, I guess we could say.
That’s the issue with national identities; while they are, to borrow from historian Benedict Anderson’s terminology, ‘imagined communities’, nationalities simultaneously are, to nod to Erica Benner, still _really existing_. One can hardly deny being part of a nation, it is hard to escape, but simultaneously, we can combat such vulgar notions as nationalism, by not giving our nation with any particular attributes or special status. If being a moderator of AskEurope the last 5 years has taught me anything, it is that we are all more alike than what we maybe want to acknowledge.
I’d say its the second after my national identity. I think its the same for most Poles actually – you either identify as Polish first, European second, or Polish only. We dont really identify through region or ethnicity here (although some small exceptions exists).
I do consider being a European as part of my identity, but it is definitely lower than ‘Finnish’ or ‘Nordic.’ Usually I don’t think about my Europeaness much, but when I’m around many non-European people I do think to myself yep I’m definitely European.
I mean yeah. Its not super important to me, however the idea of being “connected” with other people from Europe on a cultural level/scale is pretty fcking cool in my eyes. There are things we simply understand and share, and instantly click.
Obviously there are other things that we dont share or dont see alike. But that’s obviously what sets us apart. Other than that, we’ve all been pretty close (we all share the same international History), and we influence between ourselves heavily.
Yes, being European is an important part of my identity.
For me, I would make the list like this.
– My hometown Frankfurt (although this is perhaps more of an issue in bigger cities in Germany).
– European
– German
– my federal state Hesse
When I buy things, I always try to buy European first or like now with the WC Yurope ftw!
Allons enfants de la Patrie!
As a Swede apparently I am Scandinavian and not European to some but then again I can be Nordic or Norse too! Being Swedish gives me so many choices. I honestly happy to be in Sweden. Some times I just feel like IKEA furniture.
I dont care for sports and I just love being me.
Being European is a major part of my identity. Much more than French since I have lived all over Europe. When you get accustomed to living and evolving within the EU, it’s hard to say you identify more with just one piece of it.
Yes, absolutely. Some years ago I was on a delegation in the States. Coming back, had a flight layover at DeGaulle and after they checked my EU passport the (French) border guard said “Welcome home”. It’s stupid, but I really *felt* that and somehow it meant a lot to me. This Union is our home.
I think European is probably the top of my identities. But that’s probably due to not living in my birth country, Denmark. I haven’t lived there in almost 15 years, so don’t really feel much of connection to that anymore. But I’ve only lived in France four years, and don’t have nationality here yet, so can’t really claim to feel French either. So I’m mainly a EU citizen.
Yes, definitely. I feel Emilian first (from Emilia-Romagna region in Italy), then European, then Italian. I identify with the European ideals and values more than the stereotypical Italian “pizza, mafia and Berlusconi”. I lived in Norway the last 4 years but I do not feel any strong ties (yet).
I think it’s aan important part of my identity. I guess I feel Hungarian and Central-European first, European second, and Slovak third (it’s part of my heritage, my family were Slovak immigrants in the 1700s, my grandparents spoke Slovak on both sides). It’s tough as a Hungarian not identifying with the current government as they are subtly branding non-supporters as not real Hungarians. I love our language and culture though.
Yes, definitely.
Difficult to pinpoint the exact ranking, but it’s surely up there together with being from Bologna, my hometown, Emiliano, my region, being Italian and being a Southern European/Mediterranean.
After all, I lived, studied and worked in two different EU countries, speak German and have European friends from all over the EU (and Britain).
It’s not just being from the same landmass (after all, I don’t feel connected to Russia or Turkey even before the war), having common history or culture, but also about intending the same values and contractual pact within society.
Yes. I’m french then European. Although some of our cultures are very different, there are many characteristics, values, attitudes etc we share, let alone our common history. It would be hard for any country to detail their identity without mentioning their European neighbors.
Only when making fun of North American eccentricities, it’s fun to be on the side of my “fellow Europeans” in that sense. Other than that I can’t say it ever comes up, I’m English first with regional pride in Yorkshire/the north in general, British a distant second.
Yes, I always have done. I identify with being Geordie (from Newcastle/Tyneside) first of all, then Northern, then British. I don’t really consider myself to be English but I’ve always felt as European as I have British. I really felt that Brexit robbed me of that identity, of being part of the EU which I valued and appreciated. It was lovely being part of that and I really wish we still were.
absolutely. the whole ‘i feel my regional identity in my country, my national identity on a continental scale, and european on a world scale’ thing is very real, but i also feel just as strongly about being european as i do about feeling dutch (my city/provincial identity comes first). maybe thats because most things i value about my country arent all that unique to the netherlands anymore, and ive gotten more critical of this place as i get older compared to other parts of europe, but i definitely identify with both. theyre simply a big part of me and have shaped my experiences in life.
Now yes, before not so much. What changed it for me was living in Asia for half a year and noticing that when I felt a little homesick or just in general needed a hug and so on, I would feel better when hanging around my European friends rather than my north and south American or Asian friends. Of course, our friendships were similarly good, but my European friends just shared a certain mentality and I felt more understood in some ways. There was less explaining necessary and we would connect over shared experiences.
As I’m still in touch with these European friends and we visit each other in Europe regularly, being European is now a strong part of my identity.
European for me is more a geographic description than anything else.
I’m Portuguese and Portugal is in Europe so I would be European but I can explain what is like to be Portuguese I can’t explain what is European.
What is being European from Europe from the EU? Being Portuguese makes me more European than Swiss? Yeah, that doesn’t make sense, countries that are not in the EU are also European, and there is not a culture line between EU members and the rest of Europe expensively since the borders are always expanding.
Europe is so diverse that is not something that we all share in Europe and is unique to this continent.
Saying that I am very pro-EU and I have no doubt was the best thing to happen in Europe. Being connected to other European countries is great and we should strive for more unity.
Unity in diversity is what makes Europe great and this subreddit is proof of it.
What is being european ? It’s hard to be or identify as something if you don’t have some criterias for what it is. In contrast to your national identity which is rooted in the country you were born or moved to… Normally the identifiers that include countries/areas outside this is more restricted… f.ex to language and culture.. like for norways part would be like scandinavia.. Though few norwegians would refer to themselves as scandinavians.. though one have terms such at “söta bror” (sweet brother) about the swedes etc. which hints to something common.. The closest you get to an identity that is wide in norway would be “western”.. which indeed would exluse several countries in europe.. Eventhough you don’t have any cold war any longer.. few would think of countries as Romania etc. as western.. Defining oneself in the context of western is quite normal among many in norway.. though european.. hardly heard..
Think the contrast between european and western hints to something in peoples mind (at least in norway)… european = germany/france.. while western is more the anglo-american.. which is closer in hearts and mind to many in norway…
Imo. to be european seems somewhat constructed. Remember von der Leyen (eu) phrased herself as european.. but couldn’t think of her as no more than german. Indeed she fits a bit to the cliche one maybe has of a german woman of that age.. at least here in norway..
Not really. I’m not particularly nationalistic or tribalistic in nature.
I have a bit of it though and sports show it best. I root for Sweden first, England second (grew up partially in England), then any Nordic country. After that though, I don’t root for European countries over other countries. Perhaps a little for particular European countries that I have the idea I like more than others, but I might as well be rooting for someone because they are the underdog, or because they have friendly players, or because my friend is rooting for them, or because I visited their country.
I only became aware of describing yourself as “European” when my (originally British or Irish) friend started doing so. I thought it weird at first but now I think it is becoming a political statement used by people who want Europe to be more like a nation. At first I thought it sounded like something some white supremacist might say though. It seemed a bit exclusive towards other continents.
I get the feeling European might become a stronger part of people’s identities given how the tensions with Russia and China have risen. That seems to be unifying Europe a bit.
Yes, absolutely.
I’ve seen enough of Europe to understand how much we have in common, and I’ve seen enough of non-Europe to understand that this “in common” is mostly European stuff, and non pan-humanity one.
I am European just because I am Lithuanian, but it is not a separate or dominating identity. I guess that most Lithuanians consider themselves Lithuanian first, Baltic second and only then European/etc, somewhere also putting the city/regional identity.
Yes but to a lesser extent.
For me I’m first Spanish, then Castilian, then Mediterranean, then European.
But don’t get me wrong, I still feel very attached to Europe and I wish more people could share the sentiment.
If I *had to* rank my identifiers in order of importance to me then the list would probably look something like:
· Swedish
· [resident of my city]
· [resident of my province]
· Scandinavian
· Nordic
· European
· Earthling
That’s not to say that being European isn’t important to me, it’s just not at the top of my list.
I just came back from the USA and flew to Frankfurt from where I have to go back to the Netherlands. I am currently drinking a beer in a pub in Frankfurt and i already feel at home. Also just walking through the city feels more like home. So yeah i would feel like home in Europe, but i wouldn’t necessarily say I am European.
In everyday life I can barely identify with my street. But damn those Munich big city bastards, dare to come out here to the countryside and behave like they own everything? Sure as hell I’m not the same as them. And when talking to someone form Hamburg, you bet I’m Bavarian whereas talking to my neighbour I’ll mostly talk shit about Bavaria. Germany? I don’t identify with that. Talking to someone from say Italy, yes I will absolutely be part of Germany and Germany is a part of me and suddenly it is “our” Munich, “our” Berlin, and “our” Stuttgart. Europe? I can’t touch it, it’s too abstract. Talking to someone from the US: You BET we do this EUROPEAN style! He better don’t talk shit about the Poles and the Swedes!
So, hypocritical as fuck and ofc that is exaggerated but that should express my feelings about this, even if I usually don’t act like this, that is how the perspective inside of me changes, depending on topic. I also think it is only natural to feel like this.
One day there will be Marsians attacking the US and I will shout “leave my yankee brothers alone! Earthling stronk!” and when Mars is under attack from Alpha Centauri it’s “solar system for life” and wenn Lrrr and Ndnd from Omnicron Persei 8 invade “we will take care of this the MILKY WAY!”
I am half Italian, a quarter Polish-German and a quarter Hungarian. I’m also a half Ashkenazi Jewish, that is a central European heritage (but not country-specific). So yeah, I’m from Italy, but I consider myself as much European as I consider myself Italian
It depends. In some contexts I would say that it’s a part of my identity, especially if it’s expressed in contrast with something. I am European as opposed to American or Russian or Indian. I would support greater European unity and common economic interests to have a stronger block against other global interests.
But in day to day life I don’t think much about identity in general.
In terms of nationality I’m Hungarian first and rarely identify even as an Eastern European. Like even with Croatians, Czechs, Slovaks and Poles there’s a lot that I absolutely cannot relate to due to them being Slavs and having different historical dynamics at times, while I cannot relate to Serbs, Romanians and Ukranians because of their religion and relationship with Russia as well as their general “Slavness” hardcore Eastern Europeanness or Balkans stuff.
I have an easier time relating to people through shared ideologies, fandoms, worldview than by sheer national or regional identity, even if those obviously heavily influence your thinking and personality.
Yeah absolutely, I wouldn’t say I’m european first, I’d say Tuscan > Italian > European.
I wouldn’t say we have much in common with northern Europe but we do share a lot of culture and ideology with countries like France, Spain and Greece.
Being half&half, I don’t identify strongly with any of my 2 nationalities, (but as with families, I resent ppl criticizing them if it’s from ignorance)
BUT I strongly identify as European, maybe in some things more western European, in others more South European. Overall similar work/life balance, labor laws, penal codes, healthcare systems, even politics, general attitudes towards sex & relationships, manners, weapons, religion. Of course there’s variety of viewpoints, and differences between North & South or east & west, we’re talking about many different countries. But more similarities than differences
Personally, yes, at least from a cultural point of view, because I feel part of a common European civilisation (which we could also call Western, since it has now crossed the oceans for a few centuries, but its cradle is the Old Continent), which is the sum and synthesis of the various cultures that make it up, including the Italian one in which I recognise myself; and, at least from my point of view, I do not find any contradiction in that.
Yes. Definately.
Asia uprising, USA military superpower and whatnot … this is where I belong, This is where freedom of speach, decent and achievable healthcare and free movement are a standard, not a far cry.
I grew up in two countries( HU+AT) and I live in a third (CZ). Culturally all 3 are similar on the surface, they both share enough common history as well, but neither one of them is my home per se. I can’t identify with being a Hungarian, because I’m too German for Hungarians. I can’t identify with Austria, because I’m too Hungarian for Austrians. And I’m clearly not Czech.
So for me, and I think my generation, those who grew up already with the former Eastern Block being in the EU, and who moved around, it’s a comfortable umbrella term, because you’re not just one nationality.
For me it is, but I think i’m in the minority. I’d still say I’m a Belgian first, European second but it is definitely a part of my identity. Wherever I go within the EU I feel at home and safe, especially within Schengen. Living in Belgium means Luxembourg, France, Germany and The Netherlands are max 2h drive away and there are also trains and buses (highspeed and local) to all these countries. It’s kind of hard to not feel like this if you can just cross the border without any checks, especially if you live close to it.
That’s how I feel at least.
It’s a better way to say that I’m European instead of explaining that I was born in this country, grew up in another, lived in a couple of other’s, etc.
European seems fitting since I only lived in Europe so far. It’s shorter too.
I do absolutely feel European. For me my identity as a European comes right behind being Scanian and Scandinavian. Even if it’s difficult to pinpoint it exactly, I do actually feel that there is some kind of shared general culture, values and outlook, as well as a shared history, that connects us all as Europeans and that also separates us from for example Americans.
While we are in Europe we usually arent what people think when they say “European” so the feeling of inclusion isnt as strong as someone from Germany or France.
Balkaner is part of my identity and i feel more at home with that label than with European.
I would say so. I moved to Denmark a couple months ago and I guess It does feel like home in a way.
It’s hard to grasp what being “European” even means. I Guess everybody, leaving nationalism aside, feels Closer to those they share most stuff with. There’s obviously a European cultural of influence. However It doesn’t really coincide with Europe as a continent. For example It would include most of the american continent.
I think because of the EU, there’s been this push to coalesce European identities into a **European** identity, based at least in principle in the moto of the unión: Unity in diversity.
What I’m trying to say is that, though i’m not against the idea and I personally indulge in It, European identity as understood today IS quite…well, artificial. It’s more of a wish or a dogma than an undeniable reality. I wouldn’t say we’re close enough to each other to actually talk about a genuine distinct identity. Nevertheless, It’s a beautiful concept, especially coming from…well, our historically bloodthirtsy continent.
So yeah, I feel European, even if It’s partly just because I want to feel European.
I am a Dubliner and an Irishman. That all comes before being European. So it is not that important. It depends on the context. There are not too many contexts where being European comes up. Being in this sub is one, but even here a lot of the questions would lead me to giving an Irish perspective.
I don’t think this subreddit will show a good picture of how people in Europe identify themselves since its a common European subreddit and at the same time its English-speaking and tends to have younger people. All this characteristics point towards a certain demographic that generally is quite pro-European.
Regarding what I feel, I mostly feel just Catalan to be honest. I am European because I am a citizen of a European country, but I don’t feel more attached to other European countries than, say, Latin American countries.
I may be able to relate to you OP because I’m also from an isolated island at the edge of Europe, Ireland. While I’m not against the notion of being European and would never correct someone if they called me European, I don’t really feel European at all. In my mind, Europeans are those smooth talking, tanned, fashionable sexy fuckers from the likes of Paris and Milan, not a dangerously pale lad from the middle of knowhere in the West of Ireland like myself.
I am completely in favour of the EU, like the overwhelming majority of other Irish people, but the fact that we are an Island up in the corner of the map does make it very hard to identify with mainland Europeans. In my mind ‘going to Europe’ would mean going to France or Spain or Germany, not to Ireland.
Not at all, I would have to drive about 1300 kilometers south and then cross an ocean to reach what I call Europe. I am so geographically detached from the rest of Europe that I have never felt a part of it. My loyalties lie:
Northern Norway
Norway
Scandinavian
Nordic
European
Since the war began, absolutely yes. I definitely felt European before but now even more. I am Ukrainian living in the US right now and Im not saying this to unnecessarily bash the US or anything because it has it’s good parts, but I feel so much more at home in Europe. It’s just an indescribable feeling of being at home. I think I definitely feel more tied to Hungary/Slavic/Baltic countries (so basically the Eastern half) just because of shared history and culture, but I do love our friends in the West too. Sometimes it feels disheartening when I hear about Eastern European immigrants being mistreated in the UK and Ireland but I am going to assume that this is representative of a few bad people and not the entire culture, but still seeing that sometimes makes me feel more Eastern European than European. I had a friend of mine from Germany who I knew from high school make a joke about Ukrainian refugee kids in his city and again that felt very isolating and made me feel “lower” for lack of a better word, but again im not going to blame all Germans for his actions, I just want to share why I feel more connected to Eastern Europe sometimes. That being said, I still feel a big connection with Western Europe, we share a continent after all 😀 . I think I still do feel Ukrainian first above anything just because every generation of my family for the past 400 years has had to fight to keep it alive, but I still love Europe.