In this article, the link between East and West in social and geopolitical issues of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries was approached. A brief analysis of European colonialism and its construction considering the Arab and Islamic world, migration to the central countries and the rise of orientalism was conducted. Current issues unfold from the construction of orientalism, the political and economic domination that led to the formation of stereotypes and prejudices towards the Arab and Islam. The goal is to provide elements for a reflection on the migration of Arabs and Muslims in the context of wars and conflicts of the twentieth century and beginning of this century. It also aims to clarify the origin of stereotypes and reinforce the need for knowledge of the other so that dialogue and coexistence are at the center of the debate.
migration; orientalism; post-colonialism; fundamentalim; Arab-Islamic culture