The Concept of Western World History
In the context of modern world history, western civilization tends to be the dominant narrative. Yet the study of world history is not as unified as it should be. The problem lies in the fact that the emphasis placed on the West is often disproportionate to the rest of the world. In some textbooks, the West is reduced to one of many civilizations, and other civilizations are treated as non-existing. In this way, western world history is distorted.
The concept of the Western world has its origins in the ancient world. At the time, the city-states of Greece were fighting against the powerful Persian Empire. The Greeks were free-spirited and considered the Persians despotic. They were outnumbered, but they emerged victorious. Their concept of freedom helped define their history.
Despite the widespread misunderstanding of this term, the concept of world history is not as controversial as it once was. Many schools have adopted standards for their secondary school students, including the teaching of world history. In fact, many states’ secondary school curriculums now include world history as part of the curriculum. While there are no official national history standards, most of them reference European history and world history.
World history is a burgeoning field. While it is still limited in scope, the growing number of textbooks available shows that there has been some serious consideration given to the curriculum. Most of the best college textbooks reflect serious thought and debate. For now, however, most discussion of world history is at the survey course level. Consequently, most world historians are too busy installing and defending courses in college courses to consider world history in the context of a broader curriculum. However, as time goes on, more graduate programs are addressing the topic in a more systematic way.
After the decline of the Roman Empire, Western civilization began to spread throughout the world. It eventually became the dominant strand of world history and impacted every civilization. In the years that followed, Western civilization spread into the new world, and its influence extended beyond the continents. The influence of Greek thought, passed through the Byzantine Empire, influenced the development of the Modern West. It was also greatly influenced by Renaissance humanism.
The Renaissance era began in Western Europe, where the classical texts of Greece and Rome were revived. The idea of freedom grew with these texts. In addition, the use of classical music influenced the art and architecture of the period. As the Middle Ages wore on, European society continued to develop. There were renaissances, which triggered reforms. In addition, Western colonial empires became a thriving center for the Renaissance.
Today, the concept of the “Western World” is often mentioned in the context of history and politics. The concept of the West dates back to the Greco-Roman Civilization, and has evolved over centuries. Its borders have also changed over time, so defining the West can be difficult.