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Orientalism and its Effects on Today’s Society essay part 2

Orientalism and its Effects on Today’s Society essay part 1

In addition, in the United States, the major focus for the development of criticism of colonist representation
India. Actually, this criticism reflected the influences of Orientalism on human minds (Burke & Prochaska 22). A
States was focused on cultural, economic and political domination, the ambitions of many Americans were cap
Orientalist views. According to researchers, “as the United States expanded its sphere of influence into the
motivated strongly by Manifest Destiny, American Orientalism also expanded and shifted, reflecting the U
increasing global influence as well as its increasing interactions with Asia and the Pacific Rim” (Leong 8).

Undoubtedly, the development of Orientalist views depended on a number of factors, including the
industrialization, the growth of population and the growth of prosperity of the nation. In the late 19-th centur
th century, the Gilded Age in America contributed not only to considerable social changes, but also to the f
progressive ideas in different spheres of human activity (Leong 8). American Orientalism was based on the refl
key aspects of American ideology, including the ideology of race, gender and class (Rotter 1205). American p
influenced the formation of American Orientalism through adoption of new progressive idea aimed at conv
people to American lifestyle. Manifest Destiny was the major cause of the spread of American identity
American Orientalism based on special virtues, beliefs and attitudes of the American people. America’s missio
on the idea of remaking the West through expansion (Leong 8).

The Effects of American Orientalism on Art, Literature and Music

American Orientalism has a strong impact on art, literature, music, theatre, cinema, and photography. Many
define American Orientalism as a national cultural dialogue, which influences various aspects of Amer
(Gersdorf 102).The intense interest of Americans in the Orient, especially the Oriental culture and traditions co
the American Orientalist thinking (Gersdorf 102). For example, the increased widespread popularity of the Ar
among Americans influenced the development of tourism to the Orient. According to Catrin Gersdorf, “Ame
the Oriental landscape during 1850-1860s by way of the literary and visual faculties in some of the nation’s m
writers and painters”(103). Among the most popular writers was Mark Twain. In his The Innocents Abroad (186
emphasis on the new development associated with Orientalism (Gersdorf 103).

Actually, the significance of the Oriental culture was found in aesthetic and ethical discourse in America.
images were found in the representation of Oriental landscapes. Sanford Robinson Gifford, a well-know
landscape painter was impressed by the Oriental landscapes (Gersdorf 108). His paintings The Desert at Ass
Long Branch Beach (1867) and other works exemplify Oriental approaches to landscape painting (Gersdorf 108
to researchers, the works of many American painters show that “the discourse of Orientalism was highly ins
gauging the significance of the desert for the cultural and historical imaginary of the United States (Gersdorf 11
Besides, Orientalist views were reflected in American music. Many composers produced Oriental music in resp
growing rate of Asian immigrants. Researchers state that American popular music revealed various patterns of
including “de- masculinization, exoticism and dehumanization” (Garrett 127). Due to musical representati
immigrants, Americans could establish and assess the difference between the East and the West. The Orient
American music as a fantasy projected by the civilized society (Garrett 127). For example, “Jerome and Schw
which portrays local Chinatowns as foreign entities within the U.S. borders, participated in an American bran
Orientalism” (Garrett 127). In general, music industry reflected American Orientalism and contributed to the
of national identity.

The Effect of American Orientalism on Cinema and Film Production

American Orientalism influenced film production through the representation of Asian culture in films, docum
television shows produced in the United States. According to researchers, there were “four major stereotypes o
Asian Americans emerged from the imagination of primarily white cultural producers in Hollywood: Yellow P
Lady, Charlie Chan and Lotus Blossom (Shah 1). The images of Asians and Asian Americans could be interprete
called “controlling images” because of the effects of negative and positive stereotypes developed in America
fact, these negative stereotypes provide justifications for the necessity of social control, while positive stereoty
justifications for the development of normative models for Orientalist thought (Shah 4). At the same time,
place emphasis on the role of resistance to the development of these images, which was found in the late
development of “triangular cinema” by Asian American filmmakers was focused on the political strateg
promoting Asian American community, developing political mobilization, and the establishment of the so-c
American film aesthetic” (Shah 4). Many films that were produced in the context of triangular cinema are cons
“liberating images” that “stake out a position for independence and autonomy for Asian American communities

The Effect of American Orientalism on Political Decision Making

Many recent works are focused on analysis of the U.S and Middle East relations which helps to underst
effect of Orientalist discourse on politics in general and political decision making in particular (Halabi 375). T
the “War on Terror” can be found in the domestic perception of people from Middle East, Islam and Arabic
United States. American Orientalists describe Muslims as people with anti-Western ideology (Halabi 375). Be
increased role of political Islam in Iran, Algeria, Sudan and other countries, the West has no ability to in
development of political trends in the Middle East, as well as to control oil market in a proper way (Halabi 375).

In addition, the former president Regan linked the growth of terrorism with Muslim movements. In gener
Orientalism influences political decision making for a number of reasons. First, the West is interested in partici
establishment of political trends in the Middle East, “which contains 60% of world oil reserves” (Halabi 376).
United States is involved in the developing methods to promote security of Israel (Halabi 376). The third reaso
geographical proximity of the Middle East to Europe makes the latter vulnerable to the influx of lega
immigrants” (Halabi 376). American Orientalists believe that Islam is the major enemy of the West, and that
decision making should not promote democracy in Islamic states because democracy will contribute to the gro
of Islamic fundamentalists (Halabi 377).

As a matter of fact, the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon that occurred on 11 Sept
(the events of 9/11) have led to complete destabilization of the U.S. philosophy of morale and sense of self
American identity required considerable restatement of ideological views regarding gender and race. Th
influenced political decision making. According to Meghana Nayaka, “this identity draws upon hyper-masculinit
code of ethics and the constitutive differences between Self/Other necessitating the persistent and forc
interpretation and targeting of particular actors and politics as Islamic fundamentalist” (42). Thus, the ev
created negative attitudes toward the Orient and the representatives of the Orient in the United State
participation in an orientalist project was a necessity as it could help to “institutionalize gendered and raciali
through the infantilization, demonization, dehumanization and sexual commodification of the Other” (Nayaka
was involved in the project in order to protect national identity from the negative effects of Orientalist v
religious matters, American ideology and conflict (Nayaka 42). In general, American Orientalism’s logic develop
years affects the new identity formation.

The Effect of American Orientalism on Gender Politics

The gender politics that involves the representation of Afghani and Iraqi people in American society created a
of Orientalism, namely Gendered Orientalism. Besides, after the events of 9/11, the images of the Middle Ea
so-called Muslim ‘Other’, have been criticized in the Western world. Although Edward Said’s book Orientali
much important information regarding the criticism of Orientalist views, today’s criticism of the Orient is con
examination of the Muslim images’ functioning in ‘War on Terror’ discourses (Khalid 15). Special attention is pai
of gendered representations of people in the so-called ‘War on Terror” discourse. In this case, Orientalism can b
an effective tool of critical interpretation of events (Khalid 15). Researchers use the concept of ‘gendered or
their analysis of current events. They effectively apply this concept to the images taken from the War on Terro
Orientalists are focused on the construction of masculinities and femininities based on race, “manipulating an
representations of the ‘Other’ to justify military involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq” (Khalid 15)

Conclusion

Thus, it is necessary to conclude that Orientalism as the concept that influences various aspects of hu
highlights the role of the Orient in the life of the West. The study of the Orient helps to better understand pe
and civilizations through the Westerners’ views regarding the Arab and Islamic world. Orientalism refers no
study of ancient traditions and customs and artistic representation of the Orient in Western world, but also
political decisions and gender politics in the United States. This paper relates to the discussions in the confere
and the textbook assigned for this course because it provides much important information on the effects of Or
today’s society. In other words, the continuing effects that Orientalism has on today’s American society includ
on attitudes, image and knowledge reflected not only in art, literature and music, but also in political decisions
politics.

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