Western-centric describes a viewpoint, perspective, or approach that prioritizes or emphasizes the values, beliefs, experiences, history, and culture of Western countries (primarily Europe and North America) above others. It often involves implicitly or explicitly using Western standards as a benchmark for evaluating or understanding other cultures and societies. This can manifest in various fields, including academia, media, politics, and economics, leading to a biased or incomplete understanding of the world. It frequently overlooks or marginalizes non-Western perspectives, experiences, and contributions, sometimes perpetuating stereotypes or reinforcing existing power imbalances.
Western-centric meaning with examples
- The historical narrative presented in the textbook was criticized for its Western-centric focus, primarily highlighting European exploration and colonization while largely ignoring the perspectives and contributions of indigenous populations and non-European civilizations. This skewed perspective led to an incomplete understanding of global history. Students lacked comprehensive context around complex global events, failing to appreciate the diversity of narratives.
- Many international development projects are criticized for their Western-centric approach. These projects often implement solutions based on Western models and values, regardless of their applicability or relevance to the local context, leading to unintended consequences and failure to achieve sustainable positive change. This disconnect often creates mistrust between project leads and local communities.
- The media coverage of global conflicts is often viewed as Western-centric, with a disproportionate focus on events and actors in Western countries and a tendency to frame conflicts through a Western lens, potentially ignoring local dynamics and sensitivities. This selective focus can misinform the public and lead to misunderstanding. A bias is often present when reporting conflicts.
- Critics argue that the global economic system is Western-centric, designed to benefit Western economies, with little regard for the needs and aspirations of developing nations. This systemic bias can perpetuate inequalities and hinder global progress. Financial models and market infrastructure are often skewed to favor Western ideals.