The Elephant on the Doorstep?: East European Perspectives on Eurocentrism

Abstract

In this chapter I explore two interrelated questions: What is the Eurocentric nature of the discourse on Eurocentrism? and What is the relevance of (so-called) East European discourses on Europe to the study of Eurocentrism? On the one hand, any focus on ‘Europe’ from an Egast European source may be considered to prioritize Europe as a signifier; on the other, there are many examples of discourses within Europe that do not necessarily identify with, and in fact seek to challenge, norms of Europeanness as defined in mainstream Western Europe. This chapter attempts a preliminary gathering of relevant evidence and perspectives that complicate the study of Eurocentrism and perhaps help the field to avoid the trap of reproducing the Eurocentric terms of the debate.