NEVER USE THE TERM “MIDDLE EAST”

Never use the term “Middle East”.

Why?

The term “Middle East” is a Eurocentric label coined in 1902 by U.S. Navy officer Alfred Thayer Mahan in his article “The Persian Gulf and International Relations.” It was created as a strategic marker to define spheres of influence and protect colonial routes to British-occupied India.

It is also geographically inaccurate. The region commonly referred to as the “Middle East” is located in West Asia, not in the “middle” of anything. The phrase artificially places Europe at the centre of the world, reinforcing a worldview where everything is measured in relation to European power.

The term also erases cultural and linguistic diversity. It flattens a vast region of Persians, Arabs, Turks, Kurds, Armenians, Assyrians, and many other peoples into a single monolithic block, often reinforcing stereotypes rather than acknowledging distinct identities and histories.

Because of its colonial origins, Eurocentric framing, and geographic inaccuracy, many scholars and activists call for abandoning the term entirely. More precise and non-colonial alternatives include:

West Asia and North Africa (WANA).