In May 2003 Mr Edward w. Said write a preface for his new edition of the book “orientalism” Published by the “Penguin Group” again in 2003 (it was third edition, after its republication in 1978, 1995). In this text he refers to his goal and again had a look to the world ,s new phenomenon base on his “orientalism” theory. He looks at occupation of Iraq, Afghanistan as new Orientalists action toward Orient (Middle East). He analyse this events as newest world face with new imperialism by United States and United Kingdom.

Mr said know himself as represent of "the Orient" and his book as source of a especial kind of discourse that is contain a source of cultural element of The East,… and know it effective till now after it published in 1978 and translation to in thirty-six languages till 2003 show that it rule is going on. He thinks that his book and it, s subjects is alive and completely did not “die down” and one of the reason of it, is continuation of the Middle East, the Arabs and Islam world to fuel enormous change, struggle, controversy and war.

Mr said believes that his growing up in Middle East (Palestine and Egypt and Lebanon) has effective role in “Orientalism” Definition. He speaks about the starting his engagement in political after the 1967 Arab–Israeli war and the effect of continuation of occupation of Palestinian Territory and other Arab land and very bad Palestinian situation in his carrier and also his experience in comparative literature as specialist in this field to have orientalism theory.

He also noted that in American university, Columbia is still one of the few remaining places in the United States where such this study can take place. and still Orientalism has dynamic to interpret new events in political atmosphere in eve of 21^th . then Mr said see event in middle East as chain like this :

   The Lebanon civil war ----- the failure of the Oslo peace process -----the outbreak of the second intifada--------- the awful suffering of the Palestinians on the reinvaded West Bank and Gaza, with Israeli F-16's and Apache helicopters used routinely on the defend less civilians as part of their collective punishment-------The suicide bombing phenomenon has appeared with all its hideous damage-------- than the events of September 11, 2001 -------their aftermath in the wars against Afghanistan and Iraq.

Of course Mr said thinks that general understanding of the Middle East, the Arabs and Islam in the United States has improved, and the situation in Europe seems to be considerably better but imposing west forms of life to orient and quite common voice that is hear by high officials in Washington and elsewhere that speak of changing the map of the Middle East is bad alarm.

In this preface again he declares that there is no real “orient” and artificially it made by some orientalist. He also blame American army, navy and air force that came 7000 miles away of their land to destroy a country (rarely known by Americans even the educated of them), in the name of freedom. And he raises the question that modern imperialism ever ended or not.

Mr said blame scientific silent toward what imperialism has done, and what Orientalism continues to do. Humanism is something that he wants to introduce and he alert from “minding away from concrete human history and experience and in to the realms of ideological fiction, metaphysical confrontation and collective passion”.

Mr said although in Palestine – Israeli mater is in favour of the rights of the Palestinian people to national self-determination, but at the same time he is think full at the Jewish and what they suffered in the past and speak about equality in Palestine - Israeli

As Dr Samiei mention mentioned in his article “Orientalism and Occidentalism Two sides of the same coin” Mr Said also see it the same.

 Mr said with his post- modernical critism look to Internet and mass media. And he believe that Education also threated by some “ism” like nationalism, the religion orthodoxism as well as mass media and an electrical war is going on by orientalist and occidentals against each other. They systematically make an enemy and starts to war with this unknown enemy that even educated men in US never heard its name and labelled them and egxageratly destroyed their face by mass media to prepare exploitation when military starts his movement, at that time public opinion is will be ready for any cruel act toward this unknown enemy.

And all of it prepared by same people that named “experts” by mass media,… as tool in the hand of modernity to achieve its goal. So F16 fighter and mass media work in same role in this “modern technological sociality” and when other side see this inhuman action toward himself, the reaction of them is the same and they start an anti – American straggle without knowing what is American society and it’s real element. For example Mr Said know US government a powerless in determining US policy.

Mr Said give a good welcome to some result of international summit that speak of “one World”, the expression against ruled dualism modern world. He also speak with large number of the people who are silent in this battlefield in bilateral war between “the west” or “Islam” that will they effect and shouldn’t be quite

Mr Said also emphasize on “the rational interpretive skills that are the legacy of humanistic education”,” return to traditional values” and “worldly secular rational discourse”. He believe that  “we need to concentrate on the slow working together of cultures” and  “ live together” and “ we need time and patient” And “humanism is the only, and final, resistance we have against the inhuman practices and injustices that disfigure human history”.

He speak of using “democratic field of Cyber space” to opposite what is coming from the “Rumsfeld’s”, “Bin Laden’s”, “Sharon’s” and “Bushes” of this world.

Seyed Mostafa Mostafavi

 21-7-1391

+ نوشته شده در جمعه بیست و یکم مهر ۱۳۹۱ ساعت 11:30 شماره پست: 195

The respected author of article that titled “Orientalism and Occidentalism Two sides of the same coin” by him, want s to say that bad is bad ether is located in this wing or in another wing. Looking to world phenomenon with the glasses of “dualism” dos not have different if you are in the west front or in the east front. Both of them (with this ideology) work the same as destroyer of peace and order in human society especially in political atmosphere.

 Dr. Mohammad Samiei (professor of Tehran university - facility of World Studies)  in this article with the comparing the beliefs of Mr Sayyid Qutb (as symbol of eastern intellectual society) and Mr Samuel Huntington (as westerner think tank) show that dualism in orientalism and Occidentalism work in same way when thoughts combine with dualism. And if we inter with this dualistic approach   to 21^th century and they think the same as the approach that they had in 20^th this century also will have the same destiny and again world will face with disorder and massacre and no peace.

At the eve of 21^th century when the world was very optimistic of finishing the period of wars and killing man kinds in huge number, again dualism come to emerge in serious speech of President George W. Bush after the September the 11 of 2001 (collapsing twin tower building in New York) that he noted:

“Every nation, in every region, now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists.”

At that time the world face with dualism of USA as head of Capitalism and on the other side Islam (that defined in the term of terrorism face). Mr Bush define black and white approach in international policy and he make an artificial framework that even patron westerner like France and German governments also could not find any place in Mr Bush new dualism strategy, for himself, and this radicalism by USA even exclude France and Germany that should ignored France and punished Germany by the Bush dualists military hard wares.

From this time dualistic policy of Bush administration would say who is terrorist and should be punished and selectively who is not terrorist and which government should be come to end and which one with same character should powered and ignored. This framework should say who will be the target. So the Bush strategy divide the world between “us” and “others” , the main way of dividing in every dualistic system of thinking’s that have a bipolarised situation, phenomenon, society, culture, political thought,..,  with no grey area. Although harm other This fundamentalism and radicalism in USA policy will also destroyed foundation of western utopia that is based on pluralism.

Respected author of this article although recognise being natural dualism between some social phenomenon like “young” against “older” ,… refer that dualism is became in negative face when is speaking of dominations one on others. As it mentioned in this article :

 “In this paper dualism specifically refers to the realm of human interaction for the purpose of exploitation and domination. Historically speaking, dualism was manifested by different ideologies which attempted to justify the domination of others by theorising dualities based on sex, race, nation and class. The critical part of dualistic thought is not that there is merely a difference which can be found between each pair of men, but a dramatic difference, a ‘difference by nature’, i.e., an essential otherness which makes a specific group of men less human and hence subject to domination by another complete human being. In the social and political realms the main intention behind promoting dualistic thought is usually to justify the way ‘we’ treat them, even if we, as human beings, do not want to be treated in a similar way. The core of a dualistic argument, thus, is that ‘they’ are essentially different, totally dismissing their commonalities with us as members of the human race. It goes without saying that this argument inevitably produces on the other side a counter-response which leads to a counter-counter-response, in a vicious circle of hate. Here, in a brief historical overview, I mainly focus on some modern European examples.”

Some good example of dualism that naturalise by west philosopher are :

Feminism against macules - Nationalism - Racism - Marxism,… in this ideologies the funder of them define a two side frame that show endless conflict between two natural enemy. They exaggerate some characters and they impose monolog interaction between two society of two side that led them to dominant to others. Val Plumwood rightly defines this interaction as binges by Mr Samiei in his Article :

“A dualism is an intense, established and developed cultural expression of such hierarchical relationship, constructing central cultural concepts and identities so as to make equality and mutuality literally unthinkable. Dualism is a relation of separation and domination inscribed and naturalised in culture and characterised by radical exclusion, distancing and opposition between orders constructed as systematically higher and lower, as inferior and superior, as ruler and ruled, which treats the division as part of the natures of being constructed not merely as different but as belonging to radically different orders and kinds, and hence as not open to change.”

Mr Samiei in this article want s to mentioned that dualism is a dangerous and harmful approach that is adapted by somebody or a group against  somebody or other group.

Mr Samiei also show that new dualistic view of point in 21^th century come out from new orientalism theory by “Huntington” in name of “clash between civilisation” that in this theory Islam and west is in two fronts.

He also shows us that there is no fundamental different between dualistic approach that taken by “Huntington” or “Qutb” two side fallow their agenda and political aim and draw their rival as black and white viewpoint.

as Conclusion Mr Samiei suggest s :   

“Dualism, regardless of being used by whom against whom, is a flawed and dangerous ideology. As globalisation unfolds, we need more mutual understanding and more  democratic patterns for global political theory. It is the biggest intellectual and political challenge of the coming period, one could say. Dualism leads our world to new barbarianism in which conflict, war, and terror are legitimate means. Instead, we should highlight our commonalities as equal members of the human race and accept and even protect and promote diversity. Nowadays as we have understood that we are surrounded by a triangle of intimidations, i.e., the possibility of a nuclear war, environmental crisis and terrorism, humanity is in need of more coalition building to tackle these devastating threats. To cope with these dilemmas we have to dismiss ideologies that give us swords to fight against each other, making us ignore such major threats of our common environment of our common existence.”

I am also waiting for new world that nobody now himself as whole the truth and other as derailed thought, derailed culture , derailed society ,… we should hope that again all of human desire to have peace and prosperity will not destroyed by some government like Bush s administration at the time of hopes.

At the time that all the nations in the eve of 21^th was preparing for in different new century that meanwhile they were tiered of war and killing each other’s. the Bush administration enter world to new long period of wars and disorder and endless mascara again worth than 20^th century.

  So we have to change the way of looking to each other to understanding humanity better and recognise each other and different values and tolerate each other in good manure.

+ نوشته شده در شنبه پانزدهم مهر ۱۳۹۱ ساعت 17:45 شماره پست: 194