A Basic Reader in Western Social Science Knowledge: Orientalism

Author: (British) Sa
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: One of the most authoritative social science textbooks on higher education in Europe and America since the 1990s; jointly recommended by renowned scholars from more than 10 top universities in China. The concept of "Orientalism" concerns the theories and practices through which "the West" represents "the East." This representation has a long history and an inherent logical structure. Sa's book provides a comprehensive of this history and structure. Whileing the history and internal logic of Orientalism, Sa alsos many recent theories and critiques of Orientalism and discusses its deepening and implementation in contemporary Western society. The author cites numerous derogatory and insulting remarks about the East from the history of Western thought in the article (including absurd and biased misunderstandings of various cultural forms of the East: such as the dehumanizing descriptions of China, India, Islam, etc.), and critically examines them with profound and severe criticism. He argues that these demonizing fantasies about the East reveal the lack of inclusivity and confidence in the Western civilization to treat other cultural forms equally. Although many of the quoted texts reflect the absurd, ridiculous, and even dark aspects of Westerners' understanding of the East, they indeed contain many defamatory and extreme passages. However, since the author's perspective is based on a critical foundation, these passages are an essential part of the book. Therefore, in addition to editing out some overly explicit, obscene, or offensive content, we have largely retained their original form. When reading, we must pay attention to these sections and critically analyze them, particularly refuting the demonizing portrayals of the East, which is precisely the most important purpose of this book.