Eurocentric

Describing a worldview or perspective that centers on European culture, values, history, and experiences, often implicitly or explicitly considering them as superior or the standard. It involves the tendency to interpret the world through a European lens, potentially overlooking, marginalizing, or misrepresenting other cultures and societies. Eurocentric views often privilege European achievements and perspectives while downplaying or dismissing the contributions and experiences of non-European societies. It manifests in various domains including history, literature, art, and social sciences. The concept encourages a critical examination of power dynamics and biases.

Eurocentric meaning with examples

• Historically, the teaching of world history in many Western schools has been Eurocentric, focusing primarily on European events and perspectives, while giving limited attention to the histories and achievements of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, perpetuating an unbalanced understanding of global development. This narrow scope unintentionally diminishes the impact and sophistication of non-European cultures.
• Critics argue that the art canon often reflects a Eurocentric bias, prioritizing European artistic styles and figures while overlooking or undervaluing the art of other regions. This imbalance can affect the exposure and recognition given to diverse artistic traditions, as well as the funding and resources allocated to their preservation and study.
• Early anthropological studies, influenced by Eurocentric viewpoints, often analyzed non-European cultures through a European framework, potentially misinterpreting customs and traditions based on the assumptions of European social structures and value systems. This approach created biased interpretations, impacting research methods and conclusions.
• Some narratives about global exploration and colonization present a Eurocentric perspective, emphasizing European discoveries and conquests, and minimizing or ignoring the perspectives and experiences of the indigenous populations who were impacted. It often lacks an awareness of the impacts colonization had.