Why is the Middle East a concept?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Bernard Lewis implies that the Middle East is not a geographical region? rather, it is a concept. It is based on a Western orientation to the world. Historically, the term Middle East was used in the West to describe a section of the world that encompasses part of North Africa and southwest Asia directly south of Turkey, including the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, and Afghanistan. Geographically, Middle East is a term of convenience with a European bias. If Europe and America are the West, and China and Japan are the Far East, then there is an east "near" Europe, one "far" away, and one in the "middle.". Albert Hourani, in a comprehensive history, says the area is dominated by two major concerns: the religion of Islam and the history of the Arab people. Yet, many people who live in the Middle East are not Arabs. Culturally, the Middle East is an area dominated by a religion (Islam), but John Esposito demonstrates that there are many differing cultures within Islam as well as myriad interpretations of the religion.
Bernard Lewis also says that the term Middle East is used out of convenience. In a broader sense, people are really speaking about the sociogeographical relationship between Islam and Christianity. Yet, distinctive social meanings attach to the term Middle East. It is a region that witnessed the birth of three great monotheistic religions
—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The Middle East is an area dominated by Islam, but most Muslims live outside the region. The social mores of the Middle East—family and tribal loyalty, male dominance, honor, and resentment of Western imperialism—extend across northern Africa and into Central Asia. The traditional Middle East includes Arabs, but many other people live there.