Defining Cultural identities?

Annals of Religion: The Revolt of Islam : The New Yorker

 

I was reading in the above article how Muslims tend to define themselves as Muslims rather than by nationality. The reason for this is most Muslim nation states were defined by European Colonial powers like England, France and others and not by locals. So, our western view of identifying people as being from a certain nation is not how locals necessarily define themselves who might define themselves more as from a specific family and from a specific religion but not as being from a specific nation because that nation was defined by "infidels" and so not worthy of their concern (at least as they communicate with each other).

If they speak English they would realize that they would have to speak in western terms in speaking English. However, in their native languages they might never express any western ideas or structures of reality in any way.

It's sort of a case of "East is east and west is west and never the twain shall meet".

Except maybe when East Speaks English and decides to define in English terms for an English, American or European audience.