Values  of  Orientalism �  — fully understanding the idea makes sense

Name: Zhehui Wang Student ID: 140483738

Proposition � 

It has been said that some conflicts in the world were caused by Orientalism. However, this is because the term is not fully understood. In fact, Orientalism has many positive influences on the world.

Structures � •  What is orientalism? (quick review) •  Why orientalism discuss today?

•  Values of orientalism at present －cultural ： Confucianism, Singapore － religious : Buddhism, North America

•  Summary

Orientalism? � •  Orientalism” in this sense is a discourse about the

Orient as the “other” of Europe, which confirms Europe’s dominant position. (Heehs,2003)

•  Divided the world up into “East” and “West”, “Orient” and “Occident” and gave each very different characteristics. (Longhurst ,2008)

•  Key words: Colonization & hegemony

East � West � 

Orient � Occident � 

•  Asia(mainly  China,  Japan,  India  )

•  Middle  East  (Islam,  Afghanistan)

•  Europe

•  North  America

Negative

Positive

The  others!

(Said,  1978)

Orients �  Occidents � 

(Said,  1978)

Rational Democratic progressive

Irritional Despotic Timeless

Some  conflicts  in  middle  east  were  cause  by  Orientalism.

Why  Orientalism  Today? � 

The  term  is  not  fully  understood. � 

Do  have  positive  values. � 

Values  of  Orientalism    at  present � 

•  Cultural aspect: example of Singapore about Confucianism

•  Religious aspect: reorientation and innovation of Buddhism in North America

Asian  Value-­‐‑  Singapore   �  •  a Western project which is best labelled “reverse

Orientalism”

•  Confucianism – supposedly the keystone of East Asian values, only became a major important thing of the Singapore government after 1982.

•  neo-Confucian cultures had potentially higher economic growth rates than other cultures.

(Hill, 2000)

Confucian  Ethic  -­‐‑-­‐‑  Positive  characteristics

•  hardworking, responsible, skilful and ambitious member of society who would contribute to the group

•  rather than pursuing individual, selfish interests

•  contributed to a society that was based on complementarity

•  rather than the fractious society characterised by the Western pattern of interest groups

 (Hill,  2000)

Buddhism  orientation � 

contact confrontation  &  conflict

Ambiguity  &  adaptation

reorientation  &  innovation

•  a four stage adaptation process of transplanting Buddhism in North America

1 2 3 4

(Goldberg,1999)

•  non-Asian North Americans ,called “sweet and sour Buddhism”

Buddhism  Innovation � •  Ian Harris'( 1995) term "ecoBuddhism" used for

those movements which promote a view of Buddhism as essentially environmentalist

•  Innovation: seek a similarity between Buddhist and environmental ethics

•  environmental movement linking it with general systems ideas in Western life sciences.

(Goldberg,1999)

Summary � •  Orientalism is the concept created by westerns ,

confirm the position of their domination and hegemony.

•  Many conflicts were caused by orientalism because the idea was not fully understood.

•  Orientalism has good values both in cultural and religious aspects.

References � •  HEEHS,P.(2003) Shades OF Orientalism: Paradoxes And

Problems in Indian Historiography, Wesleyan University , History and Theory Vol.42 (May)p169-195

•  LONGHURST, B. et al. (2008) Topographies of Culture: geography, meaning and power, Introducing Cultural Studies, London: Prentice Hall

•  SAID, E. W. (1978, 1995(Afterward) and 2003(Preface)), Orientalism, London: Penguin

•  HILL, M. (2000) Asian values’ as reverse Orientalism: Singapore. Blackwell Publisher, Asia Pacific Viewpoint, Vol. 41, No. 2 ,(August ) p177–190

•  GOLDBERG,E(1999) The Reorientation of Buddhism in North America. Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, Theory of study of Religion, Vol.11,p340-356

References � •  http://www.reyagroup.com/site/wp-content/

uploads/2013/05/8-Confucius3.jpg

•  http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bKgB2qPJVyc/THBziY_7hgI/AAAAAAAAAJA/ELVS810wjSE/s1600/strongweakbw.gif

•  http://frustratedarab.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/q.png?w=580&h=389