In his new book In Occidents (Plon), journalist and academic Frédéric Martel examines the various criticisms the West faces around the world. He argues that the idea of the West is not a fixed or objective reality, but rather a concept shaped by both its critics and its supporters. Martel, a professor at the ZHdK University of Zurich and a journalist for Radio France, spent eight years researching in 52 countries, speaking with nearly 2,000 people. These included figures such as representatives of Russian President Vladimir Putin, intellectuals associated with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Hamas propagandists, and advisors to former U.S. President Donald Trump. According to Martel, the West is not a single, unified entity but rather an idea, a myth, or even a caricature that has been created by those who need an easy enemy to blame for their own challenges. Martel's research started with observations on global trends in culture, digital technology, and the rights of the LGBT community. In these areas, he noticed recurring criticisms of Western modernity. He points out that figures like Steve Bannon, a theorist of the American alt-right, share similar views on the decline of Western modernity with communist leaders in China, nationalists in Russia, and Islamists in Iran. These groups, according to Martel, believe that the West has strayed from its original path and is in decline, though they have different reasons for this belief. Martel emphasizes that the concept of the West cannot be reduced to a group of countries, a specific economy, or a political system. He argues that the West is not a geographic region, as it should extend from Europe to Japan and Australia, nor is it a religion. Instead, he suggests that the West is an idea, a symbolic figure or "scarecrow" that adversaries use as a target to justify their own positions and avoid addressing the aspirations of their people. Martel introduces two key concepts in his analysis: "the West minus" and "the West plus." While the full definitions of these terms are not detailed in the provided text, the framework suggests a more detailed understanding of how different groups view and critique the West. Martel's work aims to uncover the biases and motivations behind these global criticisms, highlighting the complex relationship between external forces and internal populisms that claim the West is no longer itself.