From Orientalism to Occidentalism: the rise of Westophobia

This article discusses the issue of Orientalism and Occidentalism and the increasing conflictsbetween Muslims and Westerners. Both belligerent parties are putting gasoline on a reciprocalfear that is feeding both Islamophobia and Westophobia. The question raised in this paper iswhether the fear of Muslims from the West can be justified. Indeed, the West’s bloodyaspirations to promote secularism and its unconvincing claim that it aims at thedemocratization of the Muslim world, especially the Arab one has led to the spread of thetheory of the West’s violent conspiracy. Consequently, whatever happens in the Arab worldis believed to be a direct outcome of the West’s direct interference in the local affairs of theso-called sovereign countries