What is Orientalism in the Middle East?

What is Orientalism in the Middle East?

“Orientalism” is a way of seeing that imagines, emphasizes, exaggerates and distorts differences of Arab peoples and cultures as compared to that of Europe and the U.S. It often involves seeing Arab culture as exotic, backward, uncivilized, and at times dangerous.

What was the point of Orientalism?

Orientalism constructs cultural, spatial, and visual mythologies and stereotypes that are often connected to the geopolitical ideologies of governments and institutions. The influence of these mythologies has impacted the formation of knowledge and the process of knowledge production.

Is Orientalism an ideology?

Orientalism has probably never been seen as an ideology by most scholars. But since E. Said (Orientalism, 1979) defined it as a system of thought dominating the Western perception of the East, the ideological character of Orientalism is becoming increasingly clear.

Why did edward said wrote Orientalism?

Edward Said, a Palestinian academic working in the mid-late 20th century, wrote Orientalism (1978) in order to underline the essentialising narratives of Western scholars which he saw as dominating the East throughout history.

Who coined the term Orientalism?

Rooted in a post-structuralist approach partly inspired by the work of French philosopher Michel Foucault (1926–84), Said coined the notion of Orientalism as a term comprising the whole of European (and later US) ideas, thoughts, cultural depictions, military reports, and claims to superiority over the Middle East, in …

What is Edward Said’s idea of Orientalism?

Orientalism is a 1978 book by Edward W. Said argues that Orientalism, in the sense of the Western scholarship about the Eastern World, is inextricably tied to the imperialist societies who produced it, which makes much Orientalist work inherently political and servile to power. …

Who was the father of Orientalism?

Edward Said
Region Western philosophy
School Continental philosophy Postcolonialism
Notable ideas Occidentalism, Orientalism, the Other
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