Orientalism Introduction
The preface to the 25th-anniversary edition of Orientalism was written in 2003, in which the author states the book’s continued relevance to contemporary history given the unstable condition of the middle-east at the time. He argues that both America and the middle-east are worse off now, given America’s vehement rejection of Middle-eastern culture and the Middle East’s anti-American stance. Said presents his book as a humanistic text that provides the reader with a logical argument against Orientalism. He believes that labels like the ‘west’, ‘Islam’ and ‘America’ are not only reductive but also harmful in that they encourage people to think along the sentiments of ‘us’ and ‘them’. Said offers a solution by way of the humanities, which could allow the formation of descriptive categories so that the old and harmful labels can be shed.
Said presents two quotes, the first is from Karl Marx’s The Communist Manifesto, “They cannot represent themselves; they must be represented.” Through this quote, Said impresses upon the reader a core idea of the text that those with power must stand for those that have been disenfranchised and suppressed. The second quote is from Benjamin Disraeli’s Tancred, “The East is a career.” Through this quote, he expresses the idea that the East is more complicated than the framework of orientalism allows.
Said begins by first discussing the definition of the term Orientalism, he explains that academics define it as the study or engagement with the Orient. Formally, the term refers to a way of thinking about the Orient in contrast to the west or the Occident. He cites Michael Foucault’s concept of discourse and uses it to explain why he believes that Orientalism is a means by which the western powers dominate and control the Orient. He adds that this goal in writing this text is to describe how Orientalism was founded by the British and French for the propagation of their imperial agendas, and how the framework continues to be used in contemporary times. He then clarifies the assumptions made in writing the text and first explains that although Orientalism is only a concept, the Orient remains a real physical place. The second is that the study of Orientalism is in essence the study of the power dynamic between the east and the west. Lastly, Said explains that the concept of Orientalism has very real consequences for people in the Orient and ones that are difficult to change mainly due to the existing hegemony of the west over the east. He adds that although the book is not political in nature, yet it does include a discussion of politics since Orientalism is not only a cultural but also a political concept. In literature, many cultures have been inspired by the Orient, but the author chooses to focus on the representation of the Orient by the French, British, and Americans
Analysis
The preface to the 25th-anniversary edition doesn’t make mention of the trouble Said had to bear as his support of the Arab state was unfairly equated with support for Islamic terrorism. The author was criticized publicly and attempts were made to discredit his reputation. From the preface, it is evident that the author has realized the potential of the humanities and their utility in tackling the limited framework of Orientalism. The epigraph contains two quotes, and it is interesting to note the manner in which they are presented. The quotation from Marx about the disenfranchised is placed above the quote about the East, which emphasizes the fact that the East lacks a voice and so it is difficult to understand.
The introduction of Orientalism serves to define the term for the reader, place the text in context, and express the biases as well as the assumptions of the author. Said practices academically sound anthropology by first laying out his biases, a practice necessitated by the tenet of cultural relativism. The concept argues that cultural practices ought only to be examined through their cultural lens, and since many anthropologists do not belong to the culture that they seek to write about, they instead layout their own biases for the consideration of the reader.
