Debating Orientalism

Authors

  • Harry Oldmeadow La Trobe University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/arsr.2005.18.2.133

Keywords:

Edward Said, Orientalism

Abstract

‘Orientalism’ has become a highly charged and contested term in several disciplinary fields, especially post-colonial studies. Since the appearance of Edward Said’s landmark Orientalism (1978), many scholars have pursued lines of inquiry opened up by Said, arguing that Western modes of representation have created a fabric of ideological fictions about ‘the East’. This article argues that the many insights of Said notwithstanding, his model of ‘orientalism’ presents a distorted and misleading account of the actual historical realities, particularly with respect to the West’s encounter with the religious traditions of Asia. It concludes with some reflections about alternative perspectives on orientalism, especially those offered by traditionalist writers such as René Guénon and Ananda Coomaraswamy.

Author Biography

  • Harry Oldmeadow, La Trobe University
    Harry Oldmeadow, Associate Professor, is Coordinator of Philosophy and Religious Studies at La Trobe University, Bendigo. His recent books include Traditionalism: Religion in the light of the Perennial Philosophy (Colombo, 2000), and Journeys East: 20th Century Western Encounters with Eastern Religious Traditions (Bloomington, 2004). He is also the editor of The Betrayal of Tradition: Essays on the Spiritual Crisis of Modernity (Bloomington, 2005), and has published widely in journals such as Sacred Web (Vancouver) and Sophia (Washington DC).

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Published

2005-02-05

How to Cite

Oldmeadow, H. (2005). Debating Orientalism. Journal for the Academic Study of Religion, 18(2), 133-150. https://doi.org/10.1558/arsr.2005.18.2.133