- Islam and the West
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwCOSkXR_Cw
- Professor Edward Said of Columbia University explains his views concerning orientalism. According to Said, orientalism is a coined word that he created to show the difference between east and west. Professor Sut Jhally from University of Massachusetts (Amherst) illustrates that the work of professor Edward Said ought to be identified as important and influencial especially through his book known as orietalism that he wrote back in 1978. On his views, Jhally explains that orientalism is the study of Middle East and helps to create and shape new field of study such as postcolonial fields and other related academic disciplines. According to Jhally, orientalism tries to help in understanding the culture of Middle East people. Jhally explains that professor said considers the way the west judge people from the west as orientalism.
- After analyzing the explanation of Professor Said concerning the issue of orientalism, I agree with the fact that Europeans and Americans divided the world into two parts. That is people from the west and east or civilized and uncivilized. I tend to agree with professor Said on his view concerning the repertory of orientalism. I can argue that during colonization era, when the Europeans managed to contact with less developed countries of the east, they found that these people were far away from civilization. They established orientalism as they considered themselves superior compared to the eastern communities. On the issue of orientalism and empire, I also agree with professor said on the fact that the westerns consider Arabs as uncivilized people. They also consider Islam as a religion associated with terrorism. Professor Said’s findings tend to have a significant weight concerning how the western discriminate the eastern communities because of their skin color.
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0HYX9JVH8o&feature=related
- Professor Said explains his views concerning American orientalism. He argues that the American have already distorted the social and political reality. This is concerning the issue of Middle East where the Americans justify their acts and relationship with the Islamic community. Siad explains that the difference between the Europeans and Americans regarding orientalism is that the latter did not have colonies in the east. Some of the European countries that managed to establish colonies in the east developed a strong relationship with the orients.
- I tend to agree with Said’s views on that there has never been full occupation of the Americans in the Middle East. The Americans experience concerning the issue of orientalism is less direct compared with the Europeans. The experience of the Americans is much more based on abstraction. I also agree with the fact that the difference between the Europeans and American concerning orientalism is that the issue politically influenced on the latter. I also agree with professor Said on the fact that it hard for an American to speak positive concerning any issue that is related with eastern countries. There have been several wars between the Americans and some of the eastern countries and they have resulted because of political pressure. My argument on this issue is that power of the Americans fails to accept culture and civilization of the eastern people.
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlF5ED-gE5Y&feature=related
- Through his illustrations concerning most of the American movies, professor Said argues that the Americans tries to show how they consider themselves victorious compared to the eastern community. I tend to agree on this particular issue considering that the most of the movies acted in Hollywood relating wars between the Americans and eastern communities, only the latter emerges as winners. This is just to illustrate that the Americans feel they are more powerful and civilized comparing themselves with the eastern countries and communities.
- On the issue about orientalism today, I agree with Said’s view about “The demonization of Islam in the news today”. My concern about this particular issue is that the Americans ought to show respect to the eastern countries. They should not take advantage of the resources that some of this countries have. According to professor Jhally, the new strategy with the Americans on the issue relating to orientalism is that they threaten and demonize powerful figure in the eastern associating them with terrorism. My view on this issue is that the American ought not to interfere with governing on thesecountries. Meanwhile America has an obligation of tightening its security measures to avoid any terrorism attack.
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZLA-mwOdSs&feature=related
- On the issue about orientalism and Palestian question, I agree with views of professor Said. “The Question of Palestine” is a book written by professor Said discussing how it is possible to find a permanent humane and justice solution concerning homeland for Palestinian people. On this issue, I agree that the only solution to the emerging conflicts between the western and the eastern is finding the races legacy of orientalism. I also agree on the fact that orienatalism causes the difference between people and each other. Therefore, finding a strategy to end this issue would be one of the most significant achievements in the whole world in the fight of curbing unnecessary wars.
- Said argues that even though history has left a lot of infinity of traces, there is a need to find a way in which communities may reconcile and live peacefully. The war between Jews and the Palestines ought to end through making of negotiations but not encouraging more fighting as way of finding solutions. In this 21st century, countries should not consider others as inferiors because of their skin color and other social norms. This is what leads to orientalism and should end completely. Leaders have the obligation of preventing violence in order to stop the occurrence of massacres in future. This is the only way to enhance unity and prevent orientalism.
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