Is There a European Civilisation? Analysis in the Context of the House of European History

This dissertation discusses the existence of a European civilisation as separate, or at least independent, from a Western civilisation. By analysing the works of Huntington, Braudel, Morin and Elias, this thesis is first an attempt at defining the concept of "civilisation" and identifying its main characteristics. Then, with the information gathered in the exhibition of the House of European History, the museum of the European Parliament, the analysis is conducted and put into perspective with the writings of Morin in "Penser l'Europe" (1987) and de Rougemont in "Vingt-Huit Siècles d'Europe" (1961). The purpose of this dissertation is to apply the characteristics of a civilisation, as drawn from the authors mentioned, to the European history presented in the House of European History to discover if a European civilisation exists today.