Development of Orientalism Ideology - Essay Example

Orientalism In the past few years, the consequences of Orientalism have been felt in the Western countries. The Paris attack and the attack that happened during Boston Marathon are some of the few cases that indicate that what was planted by the forefathers is coming to haunt the Western society. In addition, the rise of ISIS, Boko Haram, Alshabab and other extremist groups indicate that the Muslim community across the world is aggrieved by the way Western people perceive their long-held culture. The radicalization of young people who are not convinced by the ideologies that are spread by the Western media in regard to Eastern culture is an indication that the Orientalism ideology is having a stroll on the drafters. Orientalism is a term that is used mainly to describe the characteristics and culture of people that emanates from Asia and most specifically Middle East (Said 1995). The first orientalists were scholar who translated various writings of the Orient into English in the 19th century. This was mainly based on the supposition that an effective colonial conquest needed the information on the people to be conquered. This made Said to believe that knowing of the Orient by the West made them o own it. This aspect motivated orientalism. Therefore, without imperialism, people from the West could not have studied Near and Far-East societies and cultures (Tibi 2009). Therefore, Orientalism made the west look at the Arab culture as exotic, backward, and dangerous. Early Orientalism was seen in the European paintings and photographs. It was also clear during the World’s Fair which was held in United States in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The paintings were by various European artists depicted the Arab world as sandy, and full of belly dancers. This was a clear indication of early Orientalism. When France was conquering Algeria, they took pictures of Algerian women and edited them because they believed that they were inferior. Therefore, in addition, they could not listen to the views of the local population because they perceived them as “others” (Iskander & Rustom 2010). This aspect was taken by the Western countries that were expanding their territories to other parts of the world. Through the use of photographs and various images by different artists, the ideology was taken as the truth and it become a political justification for the colonialists. For instance, images that can be found in James Buel’s photographic book is a clear evidence that the views were deep-rooted in the minds of the Westerners even in the 19th century. The photographs show recreated Arab streets and edited photographs of the local people. The West has been describing the Islamic culture as inferior and backward (Feldman 2008). In an attempt to protect what they believe in, the Muslim community is the East has stood firm to oppose these views. In the current society, the Western media depicts Islamic culture as one that is characterized by violence. Despite various important elements that can be copied from this culture, the reports by Western media focuses more on war and other atrocities that happens in the Middle East countries (Lewis 2004). British media created a perception in its colonies that the Westen culture was superior. For instance, In India, Mary Douglas claimed that India was a mirror image of Europe. This meant that it was a complete opposite of the West. Science and technology played a significant role in enabling the British imperial government to have precise instruments that will assess the physiological makeup of the colonized natives (Strindberg & Wärn 2011). This enabled them to create the Orient and provide a clear justification for their continued imperialism. Scholars such as Nandly, Prakash, and Alvares articulated the way the British Empire used technology and science to cement their dominance on the Native Americans. This is through understanding their psychological aspect and making them believe that they were inferior and worthless people whose existence is not guaranteed (Macfie 2002). Rather than looking at Native Americans as formidable but savage enemies, the British created a new dimension that they were backward and inferior race which can offer little assistance. Therefore, during the Britain vs. the Native Americans war, the colonizers used the aspect of superiority to justify their actions to eliminate the locals and even fail to mention them during the peace treaties (Kalmar 2012). This is to emphasize on the previous points that the American natives were not worth discussing issues related to war or even peace. In the Indian case, the British used their knowledge regarding the local people to impose their dominance on them. They achieved this through instilling the belief that western culture was a source of enlightment (Hinnells 2010). This made the Indian elite to try and emulate the colonialists and even collaborate with them in order to rule their own people. This made possible for the colonialists to succeed in India despite having a small number of administrators (Stern & Berger 2015). The British media described colonies as areas that needed Western help in order for the local people to become civilized. They created a perception that the colonies could not advance unless they adopt their culture and way of thinking (Said & Govorunov 2006). However, in order to subdue them, they used religion to create a sense of civilization and dependence among the local population. However, this was at the expense of doing away with their long-held culture. A mandate system was developed in 1919 with the aim of giving the members of the League of Nations to govern a territory that was earlier held by the German or Turkish colonies. The British media treated this new development as a show of mighty and an indication of the power that was held by the Western allies (Mirsepassi 2000). In addition, it created a perception that the members of League of Nations had the mandate of protecting the previous colonies that were held by Germany and Turkey. This is because the local population could not govern themselves. At this time, the British mandate in different parts of the World was diminishing with colonies such as US and India starting to intensify their quest for independence (Hallin & Mancini 2011). The administration turned towards the local media to spread the propaganda of the countries increasing strength and new acquisition through the mandate systems. Therefore, the media tried to create a perception that Palestine was a colony worth administering. This is because the local population held an inferior culture that made them to lag behind in terms of development and civilization. On the other hand, Britain’s direct intervention in Iraq was divided into four phases which were characterized by a struggle to build an Iraqi state (Mazumdar, Kaiwar, & Labica 2009). During these phases, the public resentment in regard to the costs of building an Iraq state was increasing. In addition, the rise of Arab nationalism slowed the whole process, an aspect that ballooned the costs of administering this state. However, the British media kept on reminding the local population in Britain on the need to be custodians of the countries in the East. They kept on stating that these countries could not govern themselves or even establish formal rules to create law and order (Almond 2007). Therefore, there was the need to support the government’s attempts to create a strong administration in this country. During colonialism period, media was used as a tool by the government to earn the support of the people towards its attempt to acquire new territories (Scarfe 2003). However, the end of colonialism in Asia and America was characterized by rise of social movements that campaigned vigorously against inequality. People came to understand the importance of creating an equal society. They started dissociating themselves with media houses that continued to show Orientalism openly (Haj 2009). This is because this aspect had made them lose a lot of money in form of tax. Therefore, in order for the media houses to remain relevant among the people, they changes tactics in order to avoid losing their audience. Orientalism had created a culture of consuming Western goods. The local people had believed in the ideology that they were inferior (Turner 2014). This was referred to as westoxification. However, in Iran, a campaign by Jalal Al-e-Ahmad convinced the local people that western technology and civilization was highly responsible for the decline of the local industries which were mainly involved in crafting and carpet-weaving. This enlightened the local population who started opposing the previous ideology by the Westerners (Lau & Mendes 2011) This was boosted by the restlessness of the local people in regard to constant interference of people from the West in the Islamic culture. The new development left the British media on the crossroads as the campaign to create a negative perception towards Iran hit a snag. In addition, the communities in Iraq, Palestine, and Turkey started opposing Orientalism. People started appreciating their Islamic culture and religious leaders became more vocal and convincing to the people. They achieved this aspect through developing strong campaigns against Western interference on their culture. This strained the relationship between these countries with their masters (Little 2002). Orientalism has given room for the “us” to justify their constant interference of the activities of “them” either through violence or coercion. The US has been a good example of the repercussions of Orientalism. The country has been in constant friction with other countries in regard to governance and political ideologies. The media has been reporting that the US is instrumental in bringing peace and stability in the world (Siapera 2010). However, the government’s operations in countries such as Vietnam and Iraq have created more divisions rather than unity among the societal members. For instance, in Iraq, the exit of the US after ousting a president who was labeled by the media as dictator has left the country in disarray. This has created a space for militants such as ISIS which are creating havoc to even the neighboring countries (Boer 2003) Nevertheless, the Western media are not bold enough to highlight the problem that has been created by US and its allies in Asian countries. This is because they believe that this was part of the problems that these governments were trying to deal with in order to create political stability. The immigration of the people from Asia and Africa to Europe is an indication of how deep the media has been able to penetrate. However, the tragic accidents that have been happening during the journey to cross the sea to the “promised land” is an indication of how the media looks at these people as inferior and those that do not need special attention (Laffan 2011). Despite the larger number of people dying in the sea in an attempt to cross to Europe, the media remains silent on the issue. Instead, it has been replaced by headline making of thousands of people being killed by Islamic groups and humanitarian crisis in Syria and Yemen. The attitude of the Western media towards the Orient is clearly depicted in day-to-day news being released to the people. For instance, there has been several times when the British media reported on Muslim Democracy. It has also emphasized on separation rather than the affinity of Muslims and Christians (Lockman 2004). The Western media covering of the Arab spring is also an indication of Orientalism. Many media houses viewed the developments as an attempt by the Muslim community to become more civilized and involved in the governance of their countries. These media rarely covered the issue that led to the spring and the positive results that were likely to be achieved from it. Instead, they focused on the negative aspects such as killings and equipping of the young people (Boone 2014). Furthermore, the same media did not dig deeper to establish the people behind the purchasing of the equipments. Instead, they tried to paint a picture of Islamic culture as violent and one which is full of intolerance. Images of the East by the Western media act as a means of defining the cultural identity of the Western culture. It is common to watch scenes of angry Muslim burning American flag or Hindus attacking a Muslim mosque in the Western media (Achcar 2013). This is to strengthen their position that Western culture will always remain open and democratic compared to other cultures across the word. These images evoke the perception that others are weak and ungovernable (Salama 2011). The shooting of Charlie Hebdo is an indication of the strength of the media in creating a rift based on the religious affiliation of the people. The Muslim community has been pushed to the limit by the media and they are now willing to use any means possible to protect what they believe in. A mere action to gain public support by the Western Media has turned to a source of hatred and bitterness based on the cultural and religious affiliation of the people. Decades of media propaganda has radicalized the marginalized groups in the East (Kelly, Mazzoleni, McQuail, & Ebrary, Inc 2004). This explains why many young people are opted to venture into terrorism as a way of expressing their frustrations against the West. The labeling of Islamic culture as one that support terror activities has created rift between the Christian and the Muslim. The media outlets were using this strategy to segregate the Muslims and make them inferior (Netton 2012). Currently, the Western media continue to report that the war in Iraq is against terror. However, this is a war against those who oppose Western culture. It is a way that involves young people who are not willing to leave their cultural and religious practices and adopt the Western culture (Lyon 2014). The recent reporting on Iran is an indication of orientalism continuity in the modern society. Different media outlets have labeled Iran as a threat to humanity. Since the conquest of different nations by “us”, Iran has remained united and opposed to Western ideologies. The local government has been able to convince the people to remain loyal to their culture and beliefs (Esman 2010). Different attempts by the media to exclude Iran from the rest of the world have been unsuccessful. This has mainly resulted from the increasing levels of globalization which has led to the integration of economies. The Turkey’s attempt to join EU has been marred by frustrations. The reporting of the effort by the media shows that Orientalism is still fresh in the modern media. For instance, the phrases such as the “Europe door” have been used to magnify the strength of the union. Constant frustrations and humiliation of Turkey is an attempt to portray superiority (Abbas 2011). This is because a person who is in power keeps people waiting because he has power, superiority, and authority. This has been magnified by the unequal treatment of Turkey in the membership process. In conclusion, the media has been in the forefront in promoting the orientalism being experienced in the modern society. Through framing stories that praise the West and create a picture of superiority, the media continues to create a rift as the East tries to find its identity and source of unity. This explains the reason why people of Islamic faith are willing to use any possible means to protect their culture from being eroded by the West. Therefore, what is happening in the modern society in terms of terrorism and political intolerance among the Muslims has been framed by Orientalism. References Abbas, T. 2011. Islamic radicalism and multicultural politics: The British experience. London: Routledge. Achcar, G. 2013. Marxism, orientalism, cosmopolitanism. Chicago, IL: Haymarket Books. Almond, I. 2007. The new Orientalists: Postmodern representations of Islam from Foucault to Baudrillard. London: I.B. Tauris. Boer, I. E. 2003. After Orientalism: Critical entanglements, productive looks. Amsterdam: Rodopi. Boone, J. A. 2014. The Homoerotics of Orientalism. New York: Columbia University Press. Colin Jean-Pierre. 2004. Douglas Little. American Orientalism. The United States and the Middle East since 1945. (Politique étrangère.) PERSEE. Esman, A. R. 2010. Radical state: How Jihad is winning over democracy in the West. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger Security International. Feldman, N. 2008. The fall and rise of the Islamic state. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Haj, S. 2009. Reconfiguring Islamic tradition: Reform, rationality, and modernity. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. Hallin, D. C., & Mancini, P. 2011. Comparing media systems: Three models of media and politics. Cambridge [u.a.: Cambridge Univ. Press. Hinnells, J. R. 2010. The Routledge companion to the study of religion. London: Routledge. Iskander, A., & Rustom, H. 2010. Edward Said: A legacy of emancipation and representation. Berkeley: University of California Press. Kalmar, I. D. 2012. Early Orientalism: Imagined Islam and the notion of sublime power. London: Routledge. Kelly, M., Mazzoleni, G., McQuail, D., & Ebrary, Inc. 2004. The media in Europe: The Euromedia Research Group. London: Sage Publications. Laffan, M. F. 2011. The makings of Indonesian Islam: Orientalism and the narration of a Sufi past. Princeton [N.J.: Princeton University Press. Lau, L., & Mendes, A. C. 2011. Re-orientalism and South Asian identity politics: The oriental Other within. London: Routledge. Lewis, R. 2004. Rethinking orientalism: Women, travel and the Ottoman harem. London: I.B. Tauris. Little, D. 2002. American orientalism: The United States and the Middle East since 1945. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. Lockman, Z. 2004. Contending visions of the Middle East: The history and politics of Orientalism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Lyon, M. A. 2014. Orientalism. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. Macfie, A. L. 2002. Orientalism. London: Longman. Mazumdar, S., Kaiwar, V., & Labica, T. 2009. From orientalism to postcolonialism: Asia, Europe and the lineages of difference. London: Routledge. Mirsepassi, A. 2000. Intellectual discourse and the politics of modernization: Negotiating modernity in Iran. Cambridge: New York. Netton, I. R. 2012. Orientalism revisited: Art, land and voyage. Milton Park, Abingdon: Routledge. Said, E. W. 1995. Orientalism. New Delhi: Penguin Books. Said, E. W., & Govorunov, A. V. 2006. Orientalism: Zapadnye kont︠s︡ept︠s︡ii Vostoka. Sankt-Peterburg: Russkiĭ Mīr. Salama, M. 2011. Islam, orientalism and intellectual history: Modernity and the politics of exclusion since Ibn Khaldūn. London: I B Tauris & Co Ltd. Scarfe, B. K. 2003. Anglo-Saxon perceptions of the Islamic world. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Siapera, E. (2010). Cultural diversity and global media: The mediation of difference. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell. Stern, J., & Berger, J. M. 2015. ISIS: The state of terror. London: Siege Publishers. Strindberg, A., & Wärn, M. 2011. Islamism: Religion, radicalization, and resistance. Cambridge, UK: Polity. Tibi, B. 2009. Islams predicament with modernity: Religious reform and cultural change. London: Routledge. Turner, B. S. 2014. Marx and the End of Orientalism. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. Read More