Postcolonialism Part 2: Orientalism and Eurocentrism

Flashcards covering the academic contributions of Edward Said, the definition of Orientalism, and John M. Hobson’s critique of Eurocentrism in International Relations theories.

Edward Said

A Palestinian-American academic born in 1935 in Jerusalem who served as a Professor at Columbia University and wrote the influential book Orientalism (1978).

Orientalism (General Definition)

A way of coming to terms with the Orient that is based on the orients special place in European western experience.

What is orientalism

a distinction: between ‘orient’ and ‘occident’ with separate characteristics
hegemonic cultural narrative: literature, politics, arts, media etc
deprives the orient from the right to represent itself, narrate itself

‘cages’ different cultures, civilisations, etc. into separate entities

Interconnected histories

Challenge to orientalism, alternative way to understand international politics, is to reference back to the relations that exist between different cultures.

Orientalism in action

Orientalism can be used to advance colonialism. Orientalism is the theory and colonialism is the practice. It justifies the dispossession of native land.

Linear logic of progress

Associated with orientalism, history is depicted as an arrow moving in a straight line from a primitive past to a modern future, often privileging Western narratives. This holds a Eurocentric view, that other societies are catching up to the progress over western countries.

Hobson’s critique of Orientalism

Argues that international theories are Eurocentric, with Europe being the reference point. Eurocentrism serves as both anti-imperialist and imperialist. During the enlightenment there were thinkers such as Kant and Smith that rejected imperialism but maintained the view that non-western societies would only prosper by following European paths.

Four tenets of Eurocentrism

(1) Elevates West to "civilisation" and East to savagery; Europe is civilised whereas the rest are not.

(2) Logic of immanence; everything that Europe has achieved has emanated from Europe, they have not borrowed ideas denying the interconnected histories of the world.

(3) Division of world into first, second, third; the second and third are catching up to the west.

(4) Hierarchical conceptions of sovereignty. All countries are sovereign, however some countries are more sovereign.

Neo-realism (Eurocentric critique)

The emphasis on "anarchy" which Hobson argues necessarily obscures or sublimates the role of Western imperialism and hierarchy in modern international politics.

Neo-liberalism (Eurocentric critique)

The use of international institutions (IFIs) as neo-imperial vehicles for the cultural conversion of non-Western states along liberal capitalist lines. This critique asserts that neo-liberalism promotes Western values through financial institutions, compelling non-Western nations to embrace capitalist practices under the guise of development.

English School (Eurocentric critique)

The view that international society began with a "big bang" in Europe in 1648, assuming history started in Europe, excluding Eastern contributions and viewing other states as pariahs unless they join on Western terms.

Orientalism and imperialism

Orientalism is at the episteme of empire, idea is that Europe is at the pinnacle of civilisation and development. It constructs the East as exotic and inferior, justifying imperial domination by portraying non-Western cultures as needing Western intervention and enlightenment.