The Euro-Mediterranean space as an imagined (geo-)political, economic and cultural entity

Abstract

The anger of Islamic societies world-wide that arose from the publication of caricatures featuring Prophet Muhammad has tempted various editors and scholars alike to declare the current situation as further evidence of Huntington’s thesis of the The Clash of Civilizations, predicted in 1993. In this context the Mediterranean symbolizes a frontier between the secularliberal part on the Northern shore (Christian civilization) and the illiberalauthoritarian part on the Southern shore (Islamic civilization) of the Mediterranean. The great legacy of the Mediterranean throughout history remains undervalued. For centuries the Mediterranean has been the bridge between the actors on both sides, acting as a historic crossroads for various ethnic, cultural and religious traditions. It is more than odd “that only in modern times the Mediterranean clogged the flow of ideas” and stopped to act as “a vehicle for philosophies and cultures.” Thus the aim of the following paper is to discuss the notion of the Euro-Mediterranean space as a vivid and vibrant entity in (geo-) political, economic and cultural terms. After the introductory remarks on the Mediterranean itself, the Euro-Mediterranean space shall be evaluated as an imagined entity embodying historical, (geo-) political, economic and cultural dimensions. What were the constituting factors of this imagined entity? Additionally, the Barcelona Process (i.e. the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership – EMP), which has shaped and defined the latter space, shall be reviewed in order to verify the crucial importance of the Euro-Mediterranean entity for the further development of the EMP.