Rethinking the Genealogy of Orientalism; Intellectual Encounters Before and Beyond Edward Said

Abstract

Orientalism, as a Western scholarly discipline, emerged as an intellectual enterprise concerned with the study of Eastern cultures, languages, literatures, histories, and religions. Geographically, the Orient generally refers to the regions east of the Mediterranean. In practice, however, the primary focus of Orientalist scholarship was often on Islam and Muslim societies, examined largely through Western intellectual frameworks. Consequently, the term “Orientalism” has frequently been used not merely in its geographical sense but also to refer to scholarly representations of Muslim societies across different regions. Orientalist scholarship has often been criticised for its essentialist assumptions and for its close association with Western political, economic, and colonial interests. Numerous scholars have examined the nature and implications of Orientalism. Although Edward Said is widely regarded as one of the most influential scholars in the critical study of Orientalism, considerable scholarly attention should be devoted to the works of earlier thinkers who engaged with the concept before Said. Among them are Anouar Abdel-Malek, ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Jabartī, Marshall G. S. Hodgson and. Their works provide important perspectives for understanding the intellectual development and historical dimensions of Orientalism beyond the framework established by Said. This paper examines the contributions of these scholars and explores their respective works in relation to Orientalism. It briefly introduces their intellectual contexts, analyses their approaches to the study and representation of the Orient, and considers their significance for understanding the development of Orientalist thought before and beyond Edward Said.