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There is no such thing as Eurocentrism. This concept was created by Afrocentrists to "legitimize" their revision of history. Europe became a reference point for the rest of the world because European explorers traveled the world, charting the seas, creating maps, etc. Why would someone from Italy who just mapped an island in Indonesia chart Indonesia at the center of the world? Map makers often used their own land as a reference point. Besides, most maps are not "Eurocentric". They place Israel at the center of the world. Industrialization, science and the arts all exploded by leaps and bounds in Europe. Civilization progressed. Civilization has changed very little in many African nations. People are still living in the bush and hunting with spears just like they did 500 years ago. This is not so in Europe. Though Europe spawned a new age of civilization I know of no one who believes that civilization began in Europe. I believe the one charateristic of "Centrism" is the claim of being the "cradle of civilization". The only ethnic group claiming this is Afrocentrism. Most people in Europe and America believe Mesopotamia is the cradle of civilization. The centrist concepts of the origin of mankind are African in nature and purely racist. ---- ----------------------- The above content was presented by another human, and I did not erase it and left it as is, to show that the reality of perception is such that even in our society of blatant Eurocentric media and as much, Eurocentric educational system, that there is easily a citizen who believes that "There is no such thing as Eurocentrism." The following is from thefreedictionary.com Noun 1. Eurocentrism - belief in the preeminence of Europe and the Europeans partisanship, partiality - an inclination to favor one group or view or opinion over alternatives Eu·ro·cen·tric (yr-sntrk) also Eu·ro·po·cen·tric (y-rp-) adj. Centered or focused on Europe or European peoples, especially in relation to historical or cultural influence: ____________________ I have to agree with the latter argument that eurocentricism does exist. From an International Relations perspective, eurocenticism is the idea that everything we do and understand is seen through the European persective. For example, development: the phenomenon started in a cushy office in the West and is based on the issues perceived by the West and pretty much ends there without any perspective or view point from the Third World. It is only now that people are beginning to question whether this is right or wrong and is the development ideas we have are appropriate.
