To answer the question posed, it is necessary to first consider development and what constitutes the West. Once this goal is achieved, we can then discuss Westernism. However, the concept of Orientalism, and what constitutes the Orient, will first be seen as, arguably, Orientalism brought about by Occidentalism. Next, the four key characteristics of Westernism, identified by Buruma and Margalit (2004), will be discussed. Contemporary notions of Westernism, more specifically Islamic extremism, will also be studied; It is important here to know if, or how, Buruma and Margalit's (2004) theory of Westernism helps us understand the perspective of those who resist the West. From 1815 to 1914, direct European colonial rule expanded from about 35 percent of the earth's surface to about 85 percent of it. All continents were affected, notably Africa and Asia (Said in Hall and Gieben 1992: 329). In the age of exploration and conquest, Western countries discovered a growing internal cohesion developed through conflict and contrast with the outside world. By reinforcing each other, they forged a new sense of identity, that of the West (Hall and Gieben 1992: 289). Gradually, despite their many internal differences, the countries of Western Europe began to see themselves as a single civilization, known as the West (Hall and Gieben 1992: 289). The challenge of Islam was an important factor in the formation of Europe and in the development of the idea of ​​the West. Europe's cultural identity was originally characterized by religion and civilization. Eventually, Europe developed a more precise geographic, political and economic definition; closer to the modern secular concept of the West (Hall and Gieb...... middle of article ......uin Books, New York. Carrier, J. (1995) Occidentalism, images of the West , Oxford: Oxford University Press. Jacques, M. (2004) Raising the anti, something is missing in Ian Buruma and Avishai Margalit's study of enmity towards the West, Occidentalism The Guardian, Saturday September 4. http ://www.guardian.co.uk. /books/2004/sep/04/societyHall, S. and Gieben, B. (1992) Forms of Modernity: Understanding Modern Society, Cambridge: Polity Press.Observer (2003) Chains of Hostility: Westernism, A Brief History of Anti-Westernism, October 14, 2004. Olsen, E. (2004) Buruma on Westernism: Great Diagnosis, Terrible Cure Sardar, Z. (2004) Why. do they hate us? Silvers, R. (2002) Occidentalism, by Ian Buruma and Avishai Margalit, New York: The New York Review of Books.