It was Marta’s article, which lead me to think about the gender of our loved mother/father Europe (still to be discussed).
According to the writer and social psychologist Geert Hofstede, national cultures and differences between them can be seen through five different dimensions:
As Europeans we know that Europe is not a country (no offense to those from other parts of the world who thought that Europe was a country :)), but it doesn’t change the fact that we can use the 3rd dimension to think how masculine or feminine is Europe and therefore in a way to define it’s gender.
According to Hofstede, masculine cultures “value competitiveness, assertiveness, ambition, and the accumulation of wealth and material possessions, whereas feminine cultures place more value on relationships and quality of life”.
How does it help us to define the gender of Europe? And does it help at all? Europe is so diverse, so different - you can barely compare North with South or West with East… If we compare it with the rest of the continents, then yes - I’d say that Europe is female, and the main reason is exactly the fact that Europe is so diverse and different, the same as a woman. But not only - the same as feminine cultures Europe cares more about the quality of life - consumer protection, enough holidays and leaves, the same human and all other rights in all parts of Europe.
P.S. North America (as a continent) definitely is a man, lost in it’s ego and self-assurance. Pretending that it can rule all the world without any borders and aiming as high as it’s ambitions allow. I’m sorry for them.
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Hm, but then might experts from the sphere of international relations argue that “female Europe” in foreign affairs most of times needs “US male ego” to resolve some problems…
not sure about such a sharp distinction…
I agree with you Anita, about this post, and i disagree with Tanja, ‘cuz our big brother (AKA US) just pushes his norms and ideals, having so much influence on Europe, that sometimes EU just cannot argue with them, therefore having to agree with them, even if Europe don’t like it…
PS. i would just add, that to achieve perfect state of mind, you sometimes should have some kind of androgenic state of mind, so in a different situations you could react with more adequate measures.
Nice idea, but I think you lost yourself in stereotypes.
“main reason is exactly the fact that Europe is so diverse and different, the same as a woman”
and men aren’t? And have you been in India, China or the US? Pretty damn different, as much or even more internal differences…
“North America (as a continent) definitely is a man, lost in it’s ego and self-assurance.”
Please nuance… And Canada? Mexico?
@ Waldo - haven’t been to China or India, or the US… That’s why I didn’t even mention the first two - as I don’t have enough info abt Asia to decide. But I do hear and read, and think abt the US, that’s why I was brave enough to mention it…
You have rights not to agree. You have rights to say that Europe is masculine, Asia is masculine and America is extra feminine - that’s why we all have our opinions. I have mine
No, I agree with you that Europe is feminine and always refer to her as such. It’s just that I believe your article would gain with nuancing.
North America is not just the US, it’s also Canada and Mexico. Not only women are diverse. And diversity is not a feminine character trait (as you identified above).
But a very nice idea and I really appreciate and follow your identity search for Europe. Next to the imagined communities mentioned in a comment on your last article I’d also like to mention ’social capital’ and Robert Putnam’s http://www.amazon.com/Making-Democracy-Work-Traditions-Modern/dp/0691037388 which you might find interesting
Thanks for the link! Can you tell more waht is the book about?
I do think that women are more diverse than men. Just some examples women can pretend better, they can lie better. They play different roles in their every day’s lives maybe even without noticing it - when they speak with Mum, it’s different way of speaking, attitude and even the voice than when they speak with husband, saleswoman, kids, boss or their best friend…
Thanks for taking up the dialogue.
Your remarks on women hit upon another very interesting discussion: differences between men and women. I think both men and women are extremely diverse and what you noted about lying etc. more hits the note of emotional intelligence instead of diversity. I disagree with you on diversity, definitely. But that’s cool, each it’s own
However, if I may, I do not think that you should’ve done so in this article. It’s like all of a sudden you go from scientific data on female-male differences to some stereotyped & perceived opinion. Diversity was not one of the factors determining femininity or masculinity in the first place while you pretend it is, drawing your main reason from that perception. The note on North-America also goes in that direction (Canada is like the 28th MS of the EU or worse
).
Ah well, this discussion is why I like blogging
Discussion, arguments, counterarguments & all of a sudden a discovering of new thruts or ideas.
The book is about connection between civil society and character of its government. The governments in the South of Italy f.e. perform badly because people don’t often go to sport clubs, don’t read the newspapers,… It is closely connected to the imagined community and social capital (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_capital)
I think Putnam’s case on the importance of civil society is of particular importance for Europe. This in respect to studying the nature of the EU governance, good governance & the perceived common culture. If you are looking, as I do, for ‘the European culture’, some ideas and thoughts might come from that corner.
Have to agree with waldo on this one.. and on the point of different roles; this also is not something exlusively or quintessentially feminine; I find myself in different roles all the time - son, friend, student, teacher.. and: blogger!
I also don’t know if Europe is all that feminine.. Nor if it’s even possible to classify an entire continent as such. Interesting concept, though!
Sergej, I wouldn’t agree with you that US “just pushes his norms and ideals, having so much influence on Europe, that sometimes EU just cannot argue with them, therefore having to agree with them, even if Europe don’t like it…” (your response)
First of all, US tries to influence but EU in relations to US usually doesn’t speak in one voice. Which shows on a lame position of the EU in foreign affairs. With this I don’t want to defend US foreign policy as such - disagree with all of her colonial pretentions, but I don’t accept the position that EU cannot respond to US because the last might be too strong and EU too weak.
And I have problems with characterizing “male” and “female”. If Europe is female, does it mean that can pretend better?? I am afraid that it’s too simple and leads into the divisions, like good: bad, complex: simple, blue: pink (clothes for babies :))etc. And then, how to categorize someone who doesn’t perceive him/herself as a male or a female?
Talking about US masculinity and EU femininity, it can be very useful to have a look at the book Power of Paradise, in which R. Kagan describes the US as Mars and Europe (referring to EU) as Venus.
I think the whole discussion about male and female is more about dominance and those who are left out rather than actually looking at female and male characteristics. In that sense, the EU indeed often represents or even defends regions and states that are not always heard in international relations such as Africa through its development and aid programmes. However, it is still clear that a significant number of member states rather pursue national interests and it is exactly because these are often military focused that the EU’s “masculinity” is not very well-developed.