Western canon

Western canon is a term used to describe a "canon" of books and art, and specifically a set--one with very fuzzy boundaries--of books and other art that, in general, have been most influential in shaping Western culture.

Starting in the 1960s, but growing considerably in the 1980s, classic books were attacked by various groups as being from "dead, white, Western men" and not representing the viewpoints of other people (i.e., most people in the world). These groups advocated inclusion/study of all literature, sometimes to the exclusion of literature ordinarily placed in the traditional Western canon; this practice has been called "rewriting the canon." This trend continues strong in most universities, but has waned somewhat in its influence in recent years as the cachet of political correctness has waned.