Edward W. Said
Edward W. Said: A Life of Confronting Imperialism and Challenging Stereotypes
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Edward William Said was a Palestinian-American scholar, critic, and public intellectual. He is commonly referred to as Edward Said or Ed Said.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born on November 1, 1935, in Jerusalem, Ottoman Empire (now Israel), Said passed away on September 25, 2003, in New York City.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Said was a Palestinian-American by nationality. He worked as a scholar, critic, and public intellectual, holding positions at various institutions, including Columbia University, Harvard University, and the American University of Beirut.
Early Life and Background
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Edward Said grew up in Jerusalem during the British Mandate period. His family moved to Egypt when he was seven years old due to the increasing tensions between Palestinians and Jews in Palestine. After completing his secondary education in Cairo, Said attended Mount Hermon School in Massachusetts before enrolling at Princeton University.
Said's early life had a profound impact on his work as a scholar. The trauma of leaving Jerusalem and witnessing the displacement of his family influenced his writing and advocacy for Palestinian rights. His experiences also shaped his perspective on imperialism, colonialism, and cultural identity.
Major Accomplishments
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Edward Said's academic career was marked by significant accomplishments:
He earned his Ph.D. in English literature from Harvard University in 1964.
Said taught at several institutions, including Columbia University, where he became a prominent figure in the fields of literary theory and cultural studies.
His most notable work is "Orientalism," published in 1978, which critiques Western representations of the East and challenges stereotypes about non-Western cultures.Notable Works or Actions
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Some of Said's notable works include:
"Orientalism" (1978): A seminal work that examines how Western powers have constructed the Orient as a cultural and geographical entity.
"The Question of Palestine" (1979): A collection of essays that explores the Palestinian question and its connection to imperialism and Zionism.
"Culture and Imperialism" (1993): A book that discusses the relationship between culture, power, and imperialism.
Said's advocacy for Palestinian rights and his critique of Western representations of non-Western cultures made him a prominent figure in academic and intellectual circles. He was also a vocal critic of Israeli policies towards Palestinians.
Impact and Legacy
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Edward Said's work has had a profound impact on various fields:
Literary theory: Said's work challenged traditional notions of literary theory, introducing concepts like cultural critique and postcolonial studies.
Cultural studies: His scholarship expanded the scope of cultural studies by examining the intersection of culture, power, and imperialism.
Palestinian rights: Said's advocacy for Palestinian rights helped raise awareness about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Edward Said is widely quoted and remembered for his:
Innovative scholarship: He introduced new concepts and methodologies, such as cultural critique and postcolonial studies.
Passionate advocacy: His commitment to Palestinian rights and his critique of Western representations of non-Western cultures made him a prominent figure in intellectual circles.
Impact on contemporary debates: Said's work continues to influence discussions about imperialism, colonialism, cultural identity, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Quotes by Edward W. Said
Uninformed and yet open to appeals for justice as they are, Americans are capable of reacting as they did to the ANC campaign against apartheid, which finally changed the balance of forces inside South Africa.
In 1985, a group of mujahedeen came to Washington and was greeted by President Reagan, who called them “freedom fighters.” These people, by the way, don’t represent Islam in any formal sense. They’re not imams or sheiks. They are self-appointed warriors for Islam.
To say that we’re going to end countries or eradicate terrorism, and that it’s a long war over many years, with many different instruments, suggests a much more complex and drawn-out conflict for which, I think, most Americans aren’t prepared.
But I do not know whether the photograph can, or does, say things as they really are. Something has been lost. But the representation is all we have.
Ironically, many of these people, including Osama bin Laden and the mujahedeen, were, in fact, nourished by the United States in the early eighties in its efforts to drive the Soviets out of Afghanistan.
Until the June 1967 war I was completely caught up in the life of a young professor of English. Beginning in 1968, I started to think, write, and travel as someone who felt himself to be directly involved in the renaissance of Palestinian life and politics.
It’s very hard, for example, to justify the thirty-four-year occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. It’s very hard to justify 140 Israeli settlements and roughly 400,000 settlers.
The just response to this terrible event should be to go immediately to the world community, the United Nations. The rule of international law should be marshaled, but it’s probably too late because the United States has never done that; it’s always gone it alone.
The United States that has been involved first in the Gulf War and then in the tremendously damaging sanctions against Iraqi civilians. The United States that is the supporter of Israel against the Palestinians.
Appeals to the past are among the commonest of strategies in interpretations of the present.