Orientalism (1978)

A literary/philosophical analysis of perceptions of 'the Orient' as something different, exotic, passionate, religious, and inferior.

The Orient as it was, was thought of as such - in many ways- since the Crusades, perhaps before, and all the way up to the Ottoman Empire. But as the Europeans became colonial powers, perceptions continued to influence action.

Im curious over why the author omitted German sources, and possible perceptions of West v. East Europe - the multiethnic Habsburg Empire, and the Russian 'yellow peril'. Or of Wilhelm the Second's mad dreams.

And I am curious as to perceptions of the West by East, as well. was it always an overbearing threat?

This fiery criticism of colonial attitudes has more or less been integrated into modern post-colonial discourse. This is a seminal, if flawed work. ( )

Said traces the history of contact between the West and the East and the resulting construction of the Orient as an area of study for Western scholars. Westerners come to believe that they understand the East and its occupants better than they understand themselves. This privileged knowledge is used to further the interests of the West in conquering or controlling these regions. Said had been attacked for his opposition to Israel's handling of the Palestinian question.

Since the book was written in 1978 one might expect it to be outdated, but the events of the past two decades illustrate that Western powers continue to attribute the actions of Easterners (especially Muslims) to irrational cultural attributes rather than to rational self interest.

It is interesting that the older portrayal of the Muslim male as lecher surrounded by multiple wives and lithesome concubines has been partly reversed to an image of Islam as anti-sex with morality police roaming the streets in search of a flash of ankle or strand of hair for which a woman can be whipped.

As I said before I was first introduced to Said as a first year history student in University through this very book. It is very interesting and worth taking the time out to read it but it is a difficult book to get into. This is eased somewhat by the updated preface, introduction and afterword sections which marry into the text quite well. The book is well referenced; as one would expect of a Said work, and he sets out to challenge the theories of Orientalism expostulated by numerous Orientalists of various hues and from different countries over the centuries. Said critically analyses how the Orient has been viewed through Western eyes over the centuries and how their attitudes towards issues such as sex, religion, culture, lifestyle and customs have changed over the centuries together with assessing the impact since the USA has become a significant international player. The substantial criticism that this book generated and the accusations that were levelled at its author, both numerous and spurious since its publication, are a very good reason to acquire it also. ( )

For me, the irony of my experience w/ this book is that, despite Said's appalling misreadings, poor translations, ridiculous assertions, methodological inconsistencies, I believe his thesis (e.g., p. 322) implicitly.

Rough sledding.