Summary of Video Lecture about: ORIENTALISM BY EDWARD SAID

The 40 minutes video about Orientalism by Edward Said from Columbia University basically explains about Orientalism which considered as a new field of study and is also quite controversial. Orientalism was also the title of his book published in 1978 which has been influential ever since. It is trying to answer the question of why when we think about Middle East, for example, we would have a preconceived idea of how the people there, how they live, how they act, even though we have never been there before.

Edward Said discusses the traditional views of western people about eastern cultures and discusses the influences that have led people to think the way that they do. Said finds many answers in the tradition of western imperialism that began in the 17th century. Particular attention is paid to the demonization of Islam and makes people of Islam in Middle East appear different and threatening. Orientalism envisioned all Eastern societies as fundamentally similar one to another, and fundamentally the opposite of the Western societies.

Different type of Orientalism is an effect of different experience with the orient itself. Orientalism by Britain and France on one hand is different with the US on the other. Britain and France have long standing relationship during the colonization in the orients, like Britain and India, or France and Algeria. Both countries had directly occupied parts of the orient. Meanwhile the US experience with the orient is less direct, as there has never been full US occupation of the Middle East. Edward Said believes that US orientalism is more into political reason due to relationship between US and Israel. In all movies created by the US, the picture of the Middle East and Islam is always portrayed as terrorism with violence and irrational acts. It is more to racism towards Moslem people, which is fully supported by journalists and Hollywood.

Until now after almost 20 years from Edward Said created his book entitled “Covering Islam”, the impression of Islam is getting worse in the US as if all Moslem’s main business it to threaten and kill all Americans. The tragedy of World Trade Center has always been blamed to the action of Islamic terrorism, where Moslem Jihad act is accused to be the main cause of the tragedy, and it has been reported by journalists both printed and electronic in a way that Islam is being demonized. The generalization never happens to the Oklahoma bombing that involves Christian fundamentalist.

Edward Said created 3 books entitled; Orientalism, Covering Islam, and The Question of Palestine.