Orientalism
Orientalism is a theory put forward by Edward Said in his book, Orientalism (1978). It explores how the West depicts the East, and argues the West depicts the East as 'Other' and essentially inferior. This 'Otherness' justifies the West's colonisation of the East.[1]
Orientalism by Edward Said
In his famous book called 'Orientalism', Edward Said defines Orientalism as: ''a way of coming to terms with the Orient that is based on the Orient's special place in European Western experience.''[2]
Said also states, that The West has portraid itself as the contrary of the Orient, namely the Occident.[3]
The relationship between the Orient and Occident goes way back, European powers like France and Britain have a long history in the Orient, influencing it, imperialising and colonising it.
Said therefore states that the relationship between the Orient and Occident, is one of power. Being seen as oriental, exotic or different, has to be confronted to something not oriental, not exotic or different, this place was the West, seen as 'normal' by the first Europeans coming to the Orient. The powerrelationship between the two, can be understood again, from the fact, that the Orient was able to be made Oriental, by the West.[4]
Said states that we should not think Orientalism is only an idea, on the contrary, Orientalism has come to life by having been connected to certain images, idea's, traditions, clothing and so on. These ideas, that people even today still have about the Orient, is what keeps Orientalism alive.
An example from the book Orientalism, a quote from Sir Alfred Lyall[5], given by Edward Said, to illustrate the way of thinking of 17th-century Europeans:
''On the one hand there are Westerners, and on the other there are Arab-Orientals; the former are (in no particular order) rational, peaceful, liberal, logical, capable of holding real values, without natural suspicion; the latter are none of these things.''
Edward Said also adds, that the studying of the Orient, contributes to the idea of Orientalism. The Orient is depicted as something uknown, something so different that we must study it's people and customs, in order to be able to understand it.
References
- ↑ Said, Edward W. (2002). Orientalismo. María Luisa Fuentes. Madrid: Debate. ISBN 84-8306-983-0. OCLC 51027715.
- ↑ Said, Edward (1978). Orientalism. New York: Pantheon Books. ISBN 9780141187426.
- ↑ The Occident, meaning 'the Western world'
- ↑ The West: The Western World (usually: Europa and North America)
- ↑ Alfred Lyall (6 February 1796 – 11 September 1865) was an English philosopher, editor, clergyman and traveller.
