Mediterranean Europe(s): Rethinking Europe from its Southern Shores

This book investigates how images of the Mediterranean Sea and its many worlds have affected ideas of and discourses about Europe from the nineteenth century onwards, challenging the view that Europe is opposed to the classical world. It emphasizes the idea of a distinct 'meridian thought' to rethinking the Mediterranean and European identity.

Format: Hardback
Length: 258 pages
Publication date: 26 September 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The impact of images of the Mediterranean Sea and its diverse worlds on ideas and discourses about Europe has been a subject of exploration in this captivating book. It is astonishing to note that modern scholars have often overlooked this significant influence, with the Mediterranean being conspicuously absent in most histories of the idea of Europe. This omission can be attributed to the common association of Europe with modernity and the Atlantic world, often seen in opposition to the classical world, which is centered around the Mediterranean. However, this book aims to challenge these prevailing views by demonstrating that a multitude of thinkers, spanning from the early nineteenth century to the present, have refused to relegate the Mediterranean to the past.

Central to this exploration is the concept of "meridian thought," first introduced by Albert Camus and subsequently reworked by French and Italian thinkers. As argued in most chapters, this notion holds the potential to reshape our understanding of the Mediterranean and, in turn, challenge established notions about European identity. By reimagining Europe as the locus of "modernity," this book offers a fresh perspective on the region's historical and cultural significance.

This book will appeal to a wide range of researchers and students with an interest in European studies and Mediterranean history. Its comprehensive analysis and insightful perspectives make it an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of the complex interplay between the Mediterranean and Europe's intellectual and cultural landscape.

Weight: 514g
Dimension: 163 x 240 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367538965