What insights and qualifications did I gain from the course “European Culture and Politics” and how can I employ these in my daily life?
Introduction:
The course examined several concepts, namely cultural identity, democracy, the nation-state, modernity, transculturality, etc. I propose to examine the insights I acquired although I cannot specify any particular qualification because I am not sure what the question implies. The effect of these insights on my daily life will also be considered.
Body:
If the course has achieved anything in my case, it is the questioning of all these concepts:
There does not seem to be a common cultural identity and all attempts to promote one are based on cultural heritages which may not be relevant today or increasingly less so.
Democracy is seen to vary in its application and many leaders claim democracy which others question. The concept of illiberal democracy is a new one which challenges the very meaning of the word. As we theoretically should not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, we can only observe and evaluate their policies.
One thing is the nation and another the state. A nation-state can be composed of different nations as in Britain, although some conservative views insist on one nation only as in Spain.
Modernity goes back to the French Revolution, which is so far back that we have to invent post-modernity, although we are not sure what that is yet.
Transculturality is positive if it leads to a widening of horizons and a new experience. We should always be ready to question our own values and norms and respect those of others.
As for the way one can implement these insights in one's daily life, I think it is simply a question of adding information to the store one has already accumulated. The more information one has, the better equipped one is to make decisions, to criticize constructively and to understand the world around us. However, I do think we lack information. In Spain, all newspapers but one are conservative and most people receive the information that the powerful classes wish to release. Progressive forces are kicking against the pricks and are often unfairly criticized. Freedom of expression exists but some voices are heard louder than others. I also feel that we lack information about other countries, which would help us to understand them and share their problems. Many people think their problems are only in their country and other countries are better off when this may not be so and the problems are international.
Conclusion:
All kinds of study, information and research are valid to shape opinions. This course has introduced some ideas I was not aware of. However, as for Europe, I feel even more pessimistic about its future than before and I seriously consider that we should face our everyday practical problems before trying to create something which may or may not emerge in the future.
