Historian Georgios Varouxakis's book, 'The West: The History of an Idea,' debunks common theories about the West's origins, arguing it does not date back to ancient Greece or solely to 19th-century imperialists. Varouxakis contends the concept of the West as a political identity emerged around the Greek War of Independence. He warns that the term is currently being co-opted in culture wars, and emphasizes that Western civilization does not equate to white supremacism, cautioning that toxic nationalism could threaten its institutions.