I'm asking this because I'd like to know your opinion about what makes a country a Western one. I've read some definitions but it's still not clear to me. Some societies seem to be divided when it comes to define themselves as Western or let's say indigenous, especially in South America.
I always thought it meant as in to the west of Europe. Maybe I'm taking this question to literally though.
hi! you may be interested in this post; it contains a short comment and links to a couple more
Academically and generally "The West" is composed of Western Europe, the USA, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. Although the Latin Americas would be geographically part of the "West", the term is more political and cultural. The colonies are included because of the shared ideology and heritage that colonies had with the mother country. Elements that create a "Western" identity could be Christianity, political ideology such as democracy, or things like the Renaissance and "Scientific Revolution".