Americentrism
Americentrism or Americanocentrism is the bias to judge other cultures and nations by American standards or to assume a higher relevance of United States standards than those of other countries. It refers to the ethnocentric practice of viewing the world from an overly U.S.-focused perspective, with an implied belief, either consciously or subconsciously, in the preeminence of U.S. culture.[1]
The term is not to be confused with American exceptionalism, which is the assertion that the United States is different from other countries in that it has a specific world mission to spread liberty and democracy.
Ironically, the fact that the word American is most commonly used by people from the United States to refer exclusively to the citizens of their own country (instead of the whole continent) is often perceived by non-US Americans as a form of US-centrism.[2]
In the media
U.S. television networks have been perceived to contain an Americentric bias in the selection of their material.[3] Some American celebrities have been accused of having Americentric views.
Another instance of Americentrism is in the high focus companies have on US markets in relation to others. Often, products produced and developed outside the US are still marketed as typically American.[4]
According to the European commission, internet governance (in particular that related to the NSA) is too Americentric. It criticized the major role of US company ICANN in its administration.[5]
Wikipedia has been criticized for being Americentric with regards to its occasional preference towards English sources and "baggage" from technically being a company centered in Florida.[6]
See also
Geocultural perspectives
Notes
- ↑ NI, Chun-yan (2008). "Analysis of ethnocentrism" (PDF). US-China Foreign Language. p. 78. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
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- ↑ Kaufman, King (August 20, 2004). "King Kaufman's Sports Daily". Salon. Salon Media Group. Archived from the original on February 9, 2011.
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