Edward Said and Orientalism

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Questions and Answers

What role does literature play in the concept of Orientalism?

It becomes an instrument of imperial power. (correct)

It is used to promote historical accuracy.

It serves primarily as a source of entertainment.

It acts as a tool for fostering genuine cultural exchange.

How does Orientalism treat diverse cultures according to the provided content?

It treats them as a sophisticated collective.

It emphasizes the uniqueness of each culture.

It promotes mutual understanding among cultures.

It reduces them to an unsophisticated collective. (correct)

What are some consequences of Orientalist attitudes today?

Increased appreciation for Eastern philosophies.

Racism and stereotypical representation of Muslims. (correct)

A decline in cultural differences worldwide.

Enhanced cooperation between Western and non-Western countries.

What does the concept of Orientalism imply about Western perspectives on non-Western cultures?

They often depict non-Western cultures as inferior or primitive. Signup and view all the answers

What is suggested about the systems of knowledge imposed by colonial powers?

They silence and trap colonized subjects within imposed logic. Signup and view all the answers

What dimension of Orientalism is related to the scientific study of Eastern cultures and customs?

The academic dimensions Signup and view all the answers

How does Edward Said describe the relationship between the West and the Orient?

The West can only define itself against the Orient Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect of colonialism does Frantz Fanon focus on?

The psychological impact on both colonizers and the colonized Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the 'inherently inferior' image of the colonized in postcolonial studies?

The Other Signup and view all the answers

What role do 'experts' play in the construction of Orientalism, according to Edward Said?

They contribute to the myth-making of the Orient Signup and view all the answers

What does Said suggest is a consequence of Orientalism in terms of power dynamics?

A means to dominate and restructure the Orient Signup and view all the answers

Which term is associated with Gayatri Spivak's work on representation and voice in postcolonial theory?

The Subaltern Signup and view all the answers

According to the content, how is the Oriental characterized in contrast to the Western view?

Exotic, sensual, and lacking sophistication Signup and view all the answers

What does the concept of 'imaginative geography' describe?

Designing familiar and unfamiliar spaces in one’s mind. Signup and view all the answers

Which characteristic is typically associated with the Oriental in contrast to the Western representation?

Infantile and uncivilized. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of colonial discourse, how is the native often depicted?

As embodying the essence of evil. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'Othering' refer to in the context of colonization?

Creating distinctions that dehumanize the subordinate culture. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following concepts relates to the feminization of the Orient?

Association with sensuality and passivity. Signup and view all the answers

According to the colonial narrative, what perception is held of the native’s societal values?

Absence of values and ethics. Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect is NOT typically attributed to the 'Orient' in contrast to the 'West'?

Civilized and advanced. Signup and view all the answers

What visual motifs are commonly associated with the 19th-century Orientalist art movement?

Sensuous portrayals of harems and exotic settings. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Foundations of Sociological Thought: Poststructuralism (2)

Edward Said (1935-2003) was a Palestinian-American literary theorist and professor at Columbia University, considered a foundational figure in postcolonial theory.
Key works include Joseph Conrad and the Fiction of Autobiography (1966), Beginnings: Intention and Method (1974), Orientalism (1978), The World, the Text, and the Critic (1983), and Culture and Imperialism (1993).

Postcolonial Studies

Postcolonial studies explore power dynamics arising from colonial conquests and their long-term effects.
They examine the psychological impact of colonialism on both colonizers and colonized.
They analyze how colonizing powers utilize language to define and categorize the colonized "Other."
Key precursors include Frantz Fanon (1925-1961) and Gayatri Spivak (1942–). Spivak's 1988 work, "Can the subaltern speak?", is significant in this context.

The Other

Colonization portrays the colonized as inherently inferior, weak, and evil.
This focus on the "Other" diverts attention from the colonizers to the colonized (ADE 2021).
The "West" (Occident) defines itself in opposition to "the Orient."
Fanon's work highlights the psychological dimensions of colonialism.

Dimensions of Orientalism

Orientalism encompasses academic disciplines studying "Oriental" cultures and customs (ADE 2021).
It also includes the style of thought characterized by ideological suppositions, images, and fantasies concerning the Orient (Said, 2000).
Orientalism served as a source of power for dominating, restructuring, and asserting authority over the Orient (Said, 1978).

Orientalism as Knowledge and Power

Orientalism constructs the Orient as a mythical place using an "imaginative geography" created by experts (politicians, diplomats, writers, painters, scholars).
It utilizes a vocabulary of images and notions of Asian inscrutability, legitimized by various experts, which portrays the Orient as exotic, sensual, irrational, childlike and lacking sophistication; savage and barbaric in opposition to the West (Said, 1978).
Foucault's concept of the relationship between knowledge and power is relevant in this context.
Cromer (cited in ADE 2021) describes Europeans as precise and logical, in contrast to the Orientals, who are deemed intellectually sloppy.

Imaginative Geographies

Imaginative geographies are the mental representations of space, encompassing familiarity and unfamiliarity, arbitrary boundaries, and distinctions between "ours" and "theirs."
There's a relationship between knowledge and geography.

Orientalist Representation of "The East"

The "Oriental" is often portrayed as irrational, infantile, uncivilized, lazy, and irresponsible.
The Orient can be feminized, emphasizing sensuality and portraying the Orientals as submissive and passive, in contrast to the "masculine" and aggressive West.

The "Othering" of the Colonized

Colonization depicts the native as the epitome of evil.
Indigenous societies are presented as lacking values and ethics.
The native is viewed as the enemy of values and absolute evil (Fanon, 1961).
The concept of othering aims to justify exploitation.

The "Orient" as Europe's Other

The East (Orient) is viewed as inferior, unintelligent, and infantile compared to the West.
Western cultures are perceived as superior, rational, mature, and civilized.
Descriptions of the East include savage, uncivilized, exotic, sensual, feminine and passive. Descriptions of the West include superior, simple, rational, mature, civilized, and masculine, aggressive.

Orientalist Movement in 19th Century Art

Orientalist art depicts stereotypical images of the Arab world, reinforcing prevalent stereotypes.
Images include harems, fezes, monkeys, and long shisha pipes.
The 19th-century art movement is responsible for these depictions.

Orientalism as a Myth

Orientalism creates a mythical and fictitious, yet powerful, representation of the Orient for the benefit of Europe.
Literature and art become instruments of imperial power, reflecting a Foucaultian knowledge/power dynamic.
Empirical truth and local perspectives are deemed irrelevant.
Diverse cultures are treated as a single, unsophisticated collective.

Orientalism Today

Orientalism remains a mechanism/attitude, extending beyond the Orient to encompass cultural and social differences.
The "West" or "global North" acts as a benchmark of "civilization."
Modern forms of Orientalism manifest in racism, stereotypical portrayals of Muslims (e.g., as terrorists), and anxieties about the cohesion of European states.

Summary

Postcolonial studies emphasize uncovering imperialist and colonial power.
Colonial powers established systems of knowledge and discourse, silencing colonized subjects.
Orientalism, as a system of thought, comprises ideas and representations of the "Other."
Literature functioned as a tool for imperial and colonial expansion.

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Description

This quiz delves into key concepts in poststructuralism, focusing on the contributions of figures like Edward Said and the implications of postcolonial theory. It explores the dynamics of power and identity shaped by colonial histories, as well as significant works that have influenced the discourse. Test your understanding of theories surrounding the 'Other' and the lasting effects of colonization.