Is West Asian a European component?

[Jackson]

Not at it's root, but it has a significant presence in Europe. I suppose if you had to list major European components and minor European components, you could include West Asian as a minor European component.

[safinator]

Considering it's found in Europe from Neolithic times....

[Scholarios]

Asian is just a word. If we say "West Asian" is not European, we are saying people from Barcelona, Athens, and Marseilles may not be fully European.

[Energia]

West Asia is not a part of South East Europe and the populations with the highest % of West Asian admix live in the Northern parts of West Asia, which is definitely not Southeast Europe. It would make no sence what so ever to call this component South East European. If anything, it would make more sence to call it the 'South/Central Asian' component as South/Central Asians have a higher % of it than certain South European countries.

Does that make sence to you?

If you wanna call it West Asian then how about haplogroup N?
it's more widespread in Siberia than Europe, we should call it North Asian right?

[Azalea]

Haplogroup N is as common in Northeast Sibera as Northeast Europe. Calling it North EuroAsian would be more logical. But in essence, it's a North Asian haplogroup yes.

However, you can not really compare these to. It's like comparing apples and pears. Haplogroup N already has a name: N. It doesn't need to be renamed as haplogroups are not named after regions, while autosomal components are. There is for example a Baltic component, North European, South Asian etc. These are all named after the regions they peak in. So why would West Asian need to be named differently? To cover up the insecurities of certain Euro nations?

[Azalea]

Asian is just a word. If we say "West Asian" is not European, we are saying people from Barcelona, Athens, and Marseilles may not be fully European.

It's all a matter of definition. If having West Asian DNA makes someone less European, then perhaps you should change the definition of European instead of changing the West Asian component. It's extremely eurocentric and egoist to name a part of DNA shared by half of the people in the world to European or something European-related because of the 'damage' it has to the pride of certain European nations/peoples. I mean, the Northern European/Baltic component is also very common in the Caucasus, Central Asia, North Asia and to a lesser extent: West Asia. But does that make those people partial European? Don't think so. Do those people ask to change the name of those components? Nope. So why can't Europeans just accept that a part of their DNA is simply more common outside of Europe?

You know, we are all people before we are Europeans, West Asians, Middle Easterns etc. I think people should understand that first. Europeans are not different human species that came from a different planet..the same goes for West Asians or whatever people where in the world. People used to move, mix and what more. We are human and we all share DNA.

[Annihilus]

Asian and European are only geographical terms. I only know that the West Asian component is the closest one to the Northern European one and peaks among rather depigmented people like Georgians and Abkhazians.

People like to split components as west and east while the reality is more north and south.

[Energia]

Haplogroup N is as common in Northeast Sibera as Northeast Europe.

But most of Europe has no N at all while as regards Asia it is present in the whole China and as southward as Vietnam, if one looks at that map he cannot avoiding to call it an Asian haplogroup.

Calling it North EuroAsian would be more logical. But in essence, it's a North Asian haplogroup yes.

Indeed.

However, you can not really compare these to. It's like comparing apples and pears. Haplogroup N already has a name: N. It doesn't need to be renamed as haplogroups are not named after regions, while autosomal components are. There is for example a Baltic component, North European, South Asian etc. These are all named after the regions they peak in. So why would West Asian need to be named differently? To cover up the insecurities of certain Euro nations?

Wich are these autosomal strings they have decided to label as "West Asian" then?

[Vesuvian Sky]

Since this has seemed to turn into a moan and groan session regarding the 'controversial' West Asian component....

My biggest problem with the 'West Asian' component is that never before in the history of mankind has anyone like a geographer or anthropologist referred to the Caucuses or even Middle East as 'West Asia'.

I remember the first time I was telling someone about the 'West Asian' component who never had their DNA analyzed and they confirmed my notion of what I always felt most would feel the term is alluding to who have a sense of Geography: he thought I was referring to territory in present day western Kazakhstan.

[Queen B]

What is European to begin with?