Orientalism

Course Description

Edward Said’s Orientalism, written in 1978, was a polemical attack on the discipline of Orientalism and the representations of the”orient” in western thought. Almost thirty years later, the debate still rages: are all western scholars’ writings about Asia complicit in imperialism? Is there such a thing as objective scholarship, or are power and knowledge so deeply intertwined that all intellectual activity is inherently political? Taking our start from Said’s ideas, we will look at authors who extended Said’s critique to the fields of South Asian and East Asian Studies, and also examine some of Said’s most outspoken critics. In investigating these issues, students will learn about some of the major figures in the history of Asian students. We will conclude the semester by exploring the possibilities for “post-orientalist” approaches to the study of Asian cultures and religions, and by examining the pervasiveness of orientalist themes in popular culture. 3 credits Grading Letter graded (A, A-, B+, etc.)

Code

AAS 573

Credits

3

Subject

AAS