Orientalism

A term coined by Edward Said, referring to the ideas of the Middle Eastern and East Asian cultures held by Americans and Europeans. The term criticizes the division between ‘East’ and ‘West’, ‘us’ and ‘them’ and the ignorant and essentialist ‘Western’ connotations of ‘Eastern’ cultures. These connotations have influenced literary, art and dramatic works as well as scholarly work.

External links and references

• The Orientalist Painters
• "The Failure of Middle Eastern Studies in America"
• Frontier Orientalism