Islamcis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Islamcis - Essay Example In this section Edward Said highlights that west considers the orient as a place out of historical evolution. He points out that westerners portray India or Egypt in the same way today as they did one fifty years back as if societies here are static while west is progressing. He further points out that west created an image of east which was based upon colonial mindset in which they showed east as a mystic, ancient and non-progressive society and this attitude is prevalent in all sections of society may it be literature, science or social norms. In this section Edward Said furthers the debate with a sustained argument that history of imperial conquest is at the back of Orientalism. He explains that British and French rules the colonies for a long time and they only developed that much understanding of these societies as was required to rule over them and a human approach to understand the locals was never made. He further explains that this imperialism is not only material but also ideological in form and traces the seeds of ideological imperialism at Napoleon’s invasion of Egypt in 1789. He also stresses that American Imperialism is different from the British or French on account of two factors; Americans imperialism is indirect whereas British and French ruled thee societies directly and American Imperialism is more politicized because of the presence of Israel in the region. Section four of the movie elaborates American Imperialism in deeper details. Here, Said argues that the way Islam is projected in western media is a big problem. Muslims are shown as villains in movies, cartoon and news media and a sense is created that somehow they have to be crushed. He argues that terrorism is only one factor but US has practically sanctioned Anti Arab Racism and situation has only deteriorated in recent decades. He also refers to his book covering Islam and points