Orientalism Edward W. Said

The Orient is not only adjacent to Europe; it is also the place of Europe’s greatest and richest and oldest colonies, the source of its civilizations and languages, its cultural contestant, and one of its deepest and most recurring images of the Other. The Orient is not only adjacent to Europe; it is also the place of Europe’s greatest and richest and oldest colonies, the source of its civilizations and languages, its cultural contestant, and one of its deepest and most recurring images of the Other. -p. 1. Said, Edward W. Orientalism. -p. 1. Said, Edward W. Orientalism. New York: Pantheon Books, New York: Pantheon Books, 1978.

Orientalism Orientalism was written to show European-American power over the orient and the mystification of “the Other”. Argument put forth by Said is contained in the analytical method he puts forth for the reader. Argument put forth by Said is contained in the analytical method he puts forth for the reader. Namely, the classic Oriental view is the result of an academic bias necessitated by Western Colonial and Post-Colonial politics Namely, the classic Oriental view is the result of an academic bias necessitated by Western Colonial and Post-Colonial politics The Oriental is portrayed as a static “Other” – creating a culture that is an object lacking humanism. The Oriental is portrayed as a static “Other” – creating a culture that is an object lacking humanism. The Western goal was to justify colonial politics, economics and hegemony over the centuries. The Western goal was to justify colonial politics, economics and hegemony over the centuries.

By Orientalism I mean several things, all of them, in my opinion, interdependent. The most readily accepted designation for Orientalism is an academic one, and indeed the label still serves in a number of academic institutions. Anyone who teaches, writes about, or researches the Orient-and this applies whether the person is an anthropologist, sociologist, historian, or philologist-either in its specific or its general aspects, is an Orientalist, and what he or she does is Orientalism. By Orientalism I mean several things, all of them, in my opinion, interdependent. The most readily accepted designation for Orientalism is an academic one, and indeed the label still serves in a number of academic institutions. Anyone who teaches, writes about, or researches the Orient-and this applies whether the person is an anthropologist, sociologist, historian, or philologist-either in its specific or its general aspects, is an Orientalist, and what he or she does is Orientalism.

Knowledge that is “true” is not political; rather it is based on one’s experience – knowledge is something that must be gained. Said’s work asserts its credibility as he writes as one who is experienced in the study of both the Occident and the Orient Said’s work asserts its credibility as he writes as one who is experienced in the study of both the Occident and the Orient Said is a Palestinian Exile Said is a Palestinian Exile Said writes as a Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University Said writes as a Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University He is a Western Oriental He is a Western Oriental His grasp of History is broad and impressive in its scope as it relates to his analysis His grasp of History is broad and impressive in its scope as it relates to his analysis

Orientalism is a style of thought based upon an ontological and epistemological distinction made between "the Orient" and (most of the time) "the Occident." Thus a very large mass of writers, among whom are poets, novelists, philosophers, political theorists, economists, and imperial administrators, have accepted the basic distinction between East and West as the starting point for elaborate theories, epics, novels, social descriptions, and political accounts concerning the Orient, its people, customs, "mind," destiny, and so on. Orientalism is a style of thought based upon an ontological and epistemological distinction made between "the Orient" and (most of the time) "the Occident." Thus a very large mass of writers, among whom are poets, novelists, philosophers, political theorists, economists, and imperial administrators, have accepted the basic distinction between East and West as the starting point for elaborate theories, epics, novels, social descriptions, and political accounts concerning the Orient, its people, customs, "mind," destiny, and so on.

Orientalism is designed to challenge the bias imbedded in the Western consciousness The Orient was, for centuries, based upon an intellectual construct that reinforced conditions of inequality The Orient was, for centuries, based upon an intellectual construct that reinforced conditions of inequality Said successfully argues the nature of cross cultural discourse needs to be reexamined Said successfully argues the nature of cross cultural discourse needs to be reexamined The Orient that Said places in front of the reader is of “cultures, traditions, and societies” polarized by a Western power agenda The Orient that Said places in front of the reader is of “cultures, traditions, and societies” polarized by a Western power agenda Cultural growth is denied the Orient with progress claimed and administered by the Occident. Cultural growth is denied the Orient with progress claimed and administered by the Occident.

Here I come to the third meaning of Orientalism, which is something more historically and materially defined than either of the other two. Here I come to the third meaning of Orientalism, which is something more historically and materially defined than either of the other two. Taking the late eighteenth century as a very roughly defined starting point Orientalism can be discussed and analyzed as Taking the late eighteenth century as a very roughly defined starting point Orientalism can be discussed and analyzed as the corporate institution for dealing with the Orient- the corporate institution for dealing with the Orient- dealing with it by making statements about it, dealing with it by making statements about it, authorizing views of it, authorizing views of it, describing it, describing it, by teaching it, by teaching it, settling it, settling it, ruling over it: ruling over it: in short, Orientalism as a Western style for dominating, restructuring, and having authority over the Orient. in short, Orientalism as a Western style for dominating, restructuring, and having authority over the Orient. -p. 3. Said, Edward W. Orientalism. New York: Pantheon Books, p. 3. Said, Edward W. Orientalism. New York: Pantheon Books, 1978.

Journals Between the years 1979 through 1981 hundreds of articles have been written about Orientalism. Between the years 1979 through 1981 hundreds of articles have been written about Orientalism. In 2000, Eddie Yeghiayan, the Special Collections Librarian of University of California Irvine, compiled a list of reviews on Orientalism. In 2000, Eddie Yeghiayan, the Special Collections Librarian of University of California Irvine, compiled a list of reviews on Orientalism. –32% of the essays were From Political Science and Historical Journals. –32% were from Academic Journals. –25% from Newspaper articles. –10% from Literary Journals. –1% from other sources. Orientalism was such a controversial essay that it was able to impact many different thought genres after the first couple years of its publication. Orientalism was such a controversial essay that it was able to impact many different thought genres after the first couple years of its publication.

Orientalism Said’s knowledge of Orient Scholars is very deep and broad in its scope Prominent scholars, from Renan, Lane to Marx, saw the Orient as a locale requiring Western attention, reconstruction even redemption Prominent scholars, from Renan, Lane to Marx, saw the Orient as a locale requiring Western attention, reconstruction even redemption Early 20 th Century view in Imperial Britain was of a place that was “the rather necessary furniture of Empire” Lord Curzon Early 20 th Century view in Imperial Britain was of a place that was “the rather necessary furniture of Empire” Lord Curzon Later part of 20 th century Kissinger as man of power portrays Orient in classic sense whereas Philosopher Foucault’s theories are applied to show how basic ideas of humanity in the Orient are changed by the history they seek to represent Later part of 20 th century Kissinger as man of power portrays Orient in classic sense whereas Philosopher Foucault’s theories are applied to show how basic ideas of humanity in the Orient are changed by the history they seek to represent Knowledge of the Orient and other cultures can not come from political or even vicarious experience – It must rise from actual experience of the humanity studied Knowledge of the Orient and other cultures can not come from political or even vicarious experience – It must rise from actual experience of the humanity studied

Orientalism and Knowledge Structures and the Information Professions Orientalism was written to show the impact of mystifying “the other”. Orientalism was written to show the impact of mystifying “the other”. It is important to realize that mystification still takes place today, in the form of one’s own biases. It is important to realize that mystification still takes place today, in the form of one’s own biases. Information Professionals deal with users that create bias, as well as repeat historical biases. Information Professionals deal with users that create bias, as well as repeat historical biases.

Said in his late years Said in his late years