New Books in Intellectual History Dag Nikolaus Hasse, "What Is European? On Overcoming Colonial and Romantic Modes of Thought" (Amsterdam UP, 2025)
Nov 11, 2025
Dag Nikolaus Hasse, a philosophy professor at the University of Würzburg and recipient of the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize, dives into the essence of Europe. He challenges traditional, often excluding definitions of European identity and advocates for a decolonized understanding. Hasse highlights the importance of acknowledging medieval multicultural centers, critiques elitist cultural narratives, and emphasizes the benefits of a civic over cultural identity. His insights encourage a broader, more inclusive vision of Europe that respects its diverse heritage.
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Mainstream Narratives Exclude Many Europes
- Hasse shows mainstream European narratives often exclude Muslim, Eastern Orthodox, Scandinavian, and urban traditions like Córdoba and Constantinople.
- He warns elite cultural images (e.g., Macron, Benedict XVI) wrongly claim their preferences as Europe’s essence.
Europe As Identity Is A Modern Idea
- The notion of Europe as a self-evident collective identity is relatively modern, developing mainly after the 17th century.
- In medieval thought Europe was often viewed as the 'cold' or secondary continent, not the foremost one.
Don't Claim Enlightenment Exclusively
- Enlightenment traits like critical thinking appear across many cultures and eras, so calling them exclusively 'European' is historically arrogant.
- Hasse urges specificity: study constitutional forms and institutions rather than broad catchwords like 'European values'.
