Dominaciones y denominaciones: Medio Oriente, países árabes e Islam

Abstract

Analyzing the historical background of the denominations “East”, “Middle East”, “Arab countries” and “Islam”, of common use in media and academic writings, the author of this article reveals how much their current use is of European (“western”) wrought, fused to European hegemony and to the “Orientalism” denounced by Edward Said. These European terms have been unconsciously adopted by the “Orientals” themselves.