Women's Studies 1021F/G Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Edward Said, Comparative Literature

• School: Western University
• Department: Women's Studies
• Course: Women's Studies 1021F/G
• Professor: Frank Cameron

Document Summary

Orientalism revolutionized the study of the middle east. Most controversial book over the last 30 years. End result of a process which only reveals specific interests meaning it is very motivated and is very distorted. Interest began because: surprise when egyptians won even though they were conceptualized, constant disparity b/w his experience of being an arab and how it"s as weak conceived in art. Little ability to just address a subject without addressing discourses. Repertoire that influenced thoughts (eg. women sexualised for men) Descriptions by experts and even the 20th century are similar. Theory that orientals are all the same no matter where they are found. Problem is it creates an image outside of history; more internal that. British and french are most important in east. To produce knowledge you must have power to be there and see what contradicts history the natives cant see. Demonization of islamic culture in the pop culture.