Name: Samiya Kagdi
Masters In: English Linguilang
Sem:3(Part-2)
Institution Name/Submitting To: S. B. Gardi, Department of English, MKBU.
Role No: 22
GmailId:samiyakagdi313@gmail.com
Orientalism: Brief Introduction by Edward Said
Orient as being invented the concept by Occidents for Orients. Since antiquity was the land of romance, exotic beings, landscapes, haunting memories and remarkable experiences. While Occident as being other, representing cultural enterprise for Orients(near east, far east and middle east). Where by being a pioneer of the project of representation of Orients, they chose a dimension of imagination to fit Orients into and accordingly highlight them. Which seems to be biased as there living there at the locale and experiencing happenings in other countries, in the form of brutal reality, particularly regarding them isn't displayed and in this aspect, Orientalism prospect isn't given any space and so contribution is limited and therefore restricted.
But the Orientals study both; Orients as well as Occidents, how by being very close, the French, the Britain and the East have come out with different entities. Where Europeans as being comparatively dominative than the two, how those have tried to portray them. While Easterners seems to be dull, static, dormant, engrossed and self-conscious. Where their history is written by others(Europeans) but not by them as it seems they don't believe in preserving inventory of their country and the others believe to do so and if this was done, through a regressive lens It was seen as biased representation of the Orients. Which we're going to discuss further.
Orientalism: Academic Practice
Having been studied the Orients and Occidents; Orients as being invented by Occidents as regressive, dull, static and self-engrossed while the occidents represented this invention through their stereotypical lens. Seeing and studying all these aspects, the Orientals had given a new lens to see them, considering here "Said" a writer of Orientalism that It was Europeans, who were defined by Orients as those were the career, who brought consciousness of learning, studying and gave them opportunity to criticise them. While not becoming literally career but giving opportunity to young westerners for 'all consuming passion'. This is the way through which they are representing their enterprise and also their economic ambitions are fulfilled. It is an altogether an another matter, where the particular field is more expanded and elaborated, situating it in post-coloniality. Where either Orient or Occident aren't mere creation but man-made, that is the history, through which man can know what they have made of themselves and further extend it to their geography and cultural entities. Where it was seen in 'Orientalism after Orientalism' an article by Ali Behdad in context of the entitled title 'after' where the collection of Said's Orientalism, is considered as genealogical dependency, through which the concerned writer, may depart or by converge, will move away. Considering the contemporary time and space it would be elaborate likewise. As when the colonial time was ongoing, it was seen through colonialism and colonized lens, while in postcoloniality it will be seen through different lens, considering its heterogeniety, irregularities, discontinuity ambivalence and binaries, which doesn't mean that continuity, repetition and regularity will be subverted. And in this way the concept of Orientalism is being located now in post-structuralism, where the very potilical identity is subverted and it is seen through Ontological and Epitomological philosophy. Where though at times seems to be postponed but given the space for resumption.
Orientalism: Transformation to Imperialism
As the term, catagorizes a productive force, comprises many discourses and disciplines, it isn't restrictive in nature but limitless. But one needs to pursue this, situating it in given format of study and limitation. Otherwise it will have its reflected repercussions.
In this manner, though by being mere a method, but comprises many discourses and disciplines in it, it seems to be a productive force of colonial history and it can also similarly be seen as one sees Orient and Occident's history, by situating it as an entity.
Therefore considerning here Michel Foucault's power & discourse, it is in positive manner transforming into imperial practices, where the imperialism is also located into periphery and by locating into periphery, the very thing is seen.
Critical Analysis of method and its result
The method seems to be based on binaries, where the two; Orients as well as Occidents are presented as opposite to one another, in respect to their cultural entities and also as not confronted the study of Orients of the Occidents. But the study of Occidents for Orients seems to be based on differences and comparative and therefore limited to subjection rather than objection and likewise it is seen through Said but somewhere some interpretations from Said, also gives altogether a different look towards this term and so perhaps, it is seen in colonial as well as postcolonial time, which directs to prominence towards time and space and so contemporaenity for evaluating Orientalism like term.
As Homi K. Bhabha has pointed out, "Said's work focused the need to quicken the half-light of western history with the disgusting memory of its colonial texts that bear witness to the trauma that accompanies the triumphal art of Empire." It was the time, where it was defined in this way.
Considering this, its result would be definitely 'positive' as the term isn't becoming static but moving with flux from time to time.
Conclusion
Hence Orientalism first seems to be a regressive term as the nature of perspective is concerned, but as it is given different shapes, considering time and space, it seems as it will keep on fluctuating rather than remaining static at a particular time and space.
Works Cited
Behdad, Ali. “Orientalism after ‘Orientalism.’” L'Esprit Créateur, vol. 34, no. 2, 1994, pp. 3–11. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/26287493. Accessed 13 Dec. 2020.
{Adopted Reference from the article: Orientalism in 'after' and postcoloniality}
Foucault, Michel. "Cultural Studies: Power & Discourse."
Said, Edward. "Orientalism: Introduction."
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