British interests in the Middle East have consistently been upheld through diplomatic means. Originally colonial, expansionist and imperial in manner, contemporary diplomatic interests in the...Show moreBritish interests in the Middle East have consistently been upheld through diplomatic means. Originally colonial, expansionist and imperial in manner, contemporary diplomatic interests in the region are labelled as bilateral, and moving away from the traditionally colonial, imperial and Orientalist discourse first established with British interest in the region. This thesis examines British diplomatic attitudes towards the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, investigating the language from the mid-twentieth century to the early twenty-first in order to highlight and explain the subtleties of colonial and Orientalist mentality still noticeable in contemporary British diplomacy towards the country, and indeed, reflective of the wider MENA region. Show less
In the last century the Netherlands went through several large changes. After the Second World War, the Netherlands, as many other West-European countries, modernized which included the creation of...Show moreIn the last century the Netherlands went through several large changes. After the Second World War, the Netherlands, as many other West-European countries, modernized which included the creation of large industry, the process of destratification, secularization, emancipation of women, democratization of politics and the emancipation of minority groups like homosexuals. Supposedly, Iran went through an opposite and backward development. From the glory years of the Shah, when modernization of Iran was top priority, the country rapidly declined, in the eyes of the Dutch, into the realm of a backward religious society which the Netherlands tried to espouse for a long time. The knowledge Dutch people have about Iran is not based on individuals visiting Iran but on how the media portrays Iran and reports on Middle Eastern affairs. However, is this dichotomy between Iran, as an Eastern country, and the Netherlands, as a Western country, so clear? When looking into contemporary documentaries Iran is still portrayed as different country than the Netherlands. Portraying is focused on the religious repression, backward economy, bearded men and veiled women. When comparing the footage of contemporary documentaries with documentaries from the start of this genre in 1960, the same type of footage is shown. Has Iran not changed since then? This type of footage seems to fall under the greater themes of Orientalism and the Western narrative of modernity and have been present in the Western conception of the Middle East for very long. This research focusses on the discourses of Orientalism and the Western narrative of modernity in Iranian representation in Dutch documentaries from 1960 until 2018 and the continuity and discontinuity in this representation. This research contributes to the understanding of the development of Orientalism and the Western narrative of modernity in the 20th and 21st century.Show less
Movies are more than a sequence of images for entertainment. They are filled with discourses and symbols full of meaning, whether subtle or direct for their consumers (Lothar Mikos 2014, 2-3). We...Show moreMovies are more than a sequence of images for entertainment. They are filled with discourses and symbols full of meaning, whether subtle or direct for their consumers (Lothar Mikos 2014, 2-3). We consume movies onaregularbasis,whetherisinthebig screen, Netflix, or in our dear past collection of DVD’s. However, we are unaware of the effects that these have had inbuildingourunderstandingofpeople,societalvalues practices, and other components of the world that we live in. Not only do they help construct the perception of these, but theyalsoinfluenceingreatmannerhowweshape our own identity as well ashowweinteractwiththeworldaroundus(Mikos2014,16). In this context, this thesis focuses on determining how Hollywood film productions have had a determining effect in perpetuating the overall negative perception of the Muslims/Arab community in the U.S. For the purpose of finding an answer to such a broad question, Iwillbemakinguseoftheoriessuchasorientalismanditsdichotomies, together with nationalism and its banal representations. And linking those to my main case study: American Sniper. The epitome of all the issues present in Hollywood productions, combined to create a blockbuster movie. Which as will be later explained in chapter three, contains numerous of the negative stereotypes that Muslims/Arabs have been labeled with in the U.S.. How could these damaging narratives be challenged?Perhapsbymakingspaceforalternativenarrativessuchasthosecomposing post colonial film productions. That is where my second case study comes into action. Kurtlar Vadisi: Irak (Valley of the wolves: Iraq) is analysed as apostcolonialfilmnext to a traditional Hollywood one of American Sniper. However, despite the Turkish movie success to challenge these traditionally negative narratives engrainedinWestern film productions, it presents its own problematic discourses within. Kurtlar Vadisi Irak has its own nationalistic propaganda narrativesShow less
Race in fantasy offers a ‘safe space’ to engage with racial discourse, but races are often narrowed down to one dimensional stereotypes. Guild Wars 2 is a Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing...Show moreRace in fantasy offers a ‘safe space’ to engage with racial discourse, but races are often narrowed down to one dimensional stereotypes. Guild Wars 2 is a Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game that features race in a similar way, but offers insight in various themes regarding racial discourse, postcolonialism and International Relations. Videogames more so than other popular media, have the power to be political because they allow for interactive engagement with the medium. This thesis presents the argument that engagement with fantasy games featuring racial discourse can open up valuable and critical discussions of multiculturalism, the meaning of race, Orientalism and postcolonialism in our real life societies.Show less
The prime purpose of this paper is examining the varieties of Orientalist discourse in major Hollywood war movies which simultaneous depict Afghanistan and show favour towards US foreign policy. In...Show moreThe prime purpose of this paper is examining the varieties of Orientalist discourse in major Hollywood war movies which simultaneous depict Afghanistan and show favour towards US foreign policy. In order to draw a conclusion, the methodological framework was set using Orientalist themes from the work of Edward Said as a way of examining the discourse within the sample movies. The first movie examined is Rambo: First Blood III, set during the close of the Cold War. To have variety across the movies’ political landscapes and times, the second examined was the award-winning Zero Dark Thirty, set in the post-9/11 era. The last movie, Lone Survivor, however, was picked in order to challenge my main hypothesis – it is a US war movie depicting brotherhood between the two sides. My main conclusion was that the motive throughout all three movies was the Orientalist mindscape being exploited for military justification of the US wars abroad. Be it supporting or demonising the other, it always had a favourable outcome for US foreign policy rather than being critical of it. Seen from the point of view of art reflecting reality, it serves as a model showcasing how Orientalist discourse can be exploited, thus motivating military operations in the Orient. This in turn amplifies conflict and creates false symbolic imprints on audiences attracted to the genre.Show less
Although the USSR often claimed to promote equality in relations with other peoples, this has frequently been shown to be untrue. Specifically, in the case of the USSR's relationship with the...Show moreAlthough the USSR often claimed to promote equality in relations with other peoples, this has frequently been shown to be untrue. Specifically, in the case of the USSR's relationship with the Caucasus through the use of Orientalist tropes. So, using Edward Said's theoretical framework of Orientalism, the question "How have constructions of Orientalist discourses of the Caucasus changed from the Soviet Union to the Russian Federation?" was investigated in the context of Leonid Gaidai's 1967 film "Kidnapping, Caucasian Style" and Alexei Uchitel's 2008 film "Captive". These constructions have primarily changed along 5 Orientalist tropes. First, tropes of 'backwardness' have remained, though they have shifted from a focus on lack of modern technologies and customs to tropes of either a disorganized band of people in some cases or a militant and violent group in others. Second, representations of alcoholism, as a means of showing a lack of faith in Islam as well as an overly textual approach to understanding it, have remained largely unchanged over time. Third, portrayals of the Caucasus as a feminized "Other" have changed over time. Although feminine aspects have remained as justifying Soviet and Russian intervention in the region. Fourth, the exotic aspect of the Caucasus, though very present in Soviet portrayals, has largely faded from Russian Orientalist representations. Finally, Soviet and, especially, Russian Orientalism portray the Caucasus as being in a state of nature, as a wild and mysterious land that is inherently hostile to Russians. Thus, although constructions of Orientalist discourse have changed in some aspects and remained similar in others, their use as a means of justifying Soviet and Russian presence remains strongly similar and Orientalist.Show less
If one attempts to understand colonialist thinking, a very fruitful approach can be found in the analysis of “colonial discourse”.2 As colonialism itself is connected to the “mentality” of the...Show moreIf one attempts to understand colonialist thinking, a very fruitful approach can be found in the analysis of “colonial discourse”.2 As colonialism itself is connected to the “mentality” of the colonizer, so must colonial violence be.3 As Kuss has noted, “The conduct by the German military of their colonial wars was affected by […] the domestic national discourse.”4 The genocide against the Herero and Nama of Namibia is certainly one of the darkest chapters of German history. Now, more than 100 years later, it is necessary to ask the right questions in order to avoid further harm and to address Germany’s colonial history and legacy in a meaningful way. In an attempt to do this, the analysis laid out in this paper aims at discussing the question “how were the Herero of Namibia constructed in German colonial discourse, 1900-1918?”, through an analysis of the discourse on the Herero found German colonial literature and anthropology. For this purpose, the works of Foucault, Said, and Kim are used throughout the paper. In the past, there was a long-standing “repression” of Germany’s colonial past and the country has only recently made an attempt at addressing its colonial heritage.5 As Schilling has argued, this development is vitally important since features of past discourses continue to influence the way Germany deals with its Others. An analysis of the colonial-era discourse on the Herero is therefore of practical value in the fight against structural injustices. Using two analytical frameworks, Said’s Orientalism and Kim’s borderlands, the paper supports the thesis that the discourse on the Herero in colonial Germany between 1900 and 1918 frames the Herero as the Orientalized and less-than-human Other.Show less
Different countries have their own traditions when it comes to the horror genre and within these traditions there is again a variety of subgenres. According to the distribution company Tartan Films...Show moreDifferent countries have their own traditions when it comes to the horror genre and within these traditions there is again a variety of subgenres. According to the distribution company Tartan Films Asia does this by embracing the ‘extreme’ which is celebrated by the selection of films belonging to the Tartans Films brand ‘Asia extreme’. Being critized for using the discourse of Orientalism in the promotion of the films, this thesis will look how the Chinese horror movie Jiàn Guĭ and The Eye are related cinematically with this discourse.Show less
This thesis aims to look into the effects of the 2001 American intervention - both military and humanitarian - in Afghanistan on Afghan women. More precisely, it will analyze the effects of the...Show moreThis thesis aims to look into the effects of the 2001 American intervention - both military and humanitarian - in Afghanistan on Afghan women. More precisely, it will analyze the effects of the discourse around women used by the United States to justify their invasion on the agency of local women.Show less
Customary law in South Africa was transformed by its incorporation into the colonial and later Apartheid state. In this regard, the work of colonial administrators and scholars were important as...Show moreCustomary law in South Africa was transformed by its incorporation into the colonial and later Apartheid state. In this regard, the work of colonial administrators and scholars were important as their visions of idealised ‘tribal’ society and chiefly rule with despotic and patriarchal qualities were often largely reproduced in official state policy, and served to legitimate white minority rule. Literature on this subject has tended to either be situated within a national narrative, or largely focus on British policies of indirect rule. Tracing the career and thought of F.D. ‘Frits’ Holleman in the first half of the 20th Century, as he moved from judicial and scholarly appointments in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI), to posts at Leiden University in the Netherlands and ultimately Stellenbosch University in South Africa, allows for a more explicitly global approach to the subject. It also demonstrates an insufficiently-acknowledged transfer of Dutch colonial expertise and experience from an established body of Indonesian adat law scholarship, originating at Leiden University, to an emerging field of customary law scholarship in the strongly Afrikaner Nationalist environment of Stellenbosch. While Holleman’s work on South African customary law was in some ways distinct from what he had worked on before, many of the concepts and characteristics he ascribed to African societies were straightforwardly transposed from his work on adat law, which stood within a tradition of scholarship that demonstrated both paternal/empathic concern for protecting non-Western law, and a strong essentialising impulse, leading to broad and enduring generalisations about supposedly ‘primitive’ societies. Beyond Holleman’s own trajectory, this study holds broader significance in the way it demonstrates the spread of theories of adat law far beyond their place of origin, and their influence on South African thinking about customary law. Moreover, the structural factors which allowed Holleman and his ideas to travel, suggest connections far deeper than a single individual; Holleman’s case has implications for how we think about the ongoing relationship between the Netherlands and South Africa, and indeed a triangular relationship between the Netherlands, Indonesia and South Africa. It may also offer a new lens with which to view the revival of traditionalist politics in both South Africa and Indonesia.Show less
In the past decades, great improvements have been made in relation to the societal position of women. However, non-Western women artists are still forced to face double colonization due to the...Show moreIn the past decades, great improvements have been made in relation to the societal position of women. However, non-Western women artists are still forced to face double colonization due to the application of patriarchal and Orientalist discourses in relation to the interpretation of their art, and the artists themselves. Since the 1980s, Chinese women artists have experienced increased recognition both in the mainland and internationally, however, they are still not freed from orientalism and patriarchy. This research focuses on the reality of China and—through close reading—examines the interviews with two Chinese women artists, Chen Lingyang and Lin Tianmiao which are then juxtaposed with claims of scholars, art critics, and curators. By incorporating the insights from theories of feminism, postcolonialism, and intersectionality, the presence of structural discourses can be revealed and used to identify ongoing oppression directed towards Chinese women artists. The thesis aims to contribute to the discussion about Chinese women artists and to challenge this oppressive reality which can potentially lead to an effective change in terms of avoiding patriarchal and Orientalist interpretations of these artists and their works.Show less
In 1978 Edward Said published his much discussed book Orientalism. In this book he discussed reocurring themes in Western literature, art, and scientific research into the Orient. He concluded that...Show moreIn 1978 Edward Said published his much discussed book Orientalism. In this book he discussed reocurring themes in Western literature, art, and scientific research into the Orient. He concluded that Western literature about the Orient uses "Orientalistic themes"; in which the Oriental was described as anti-democratic, irrational, superstitious and violent. In this way the describtion of the Oriental contrasted the way Occidentals (e.g. Europeans) were discussed; the "good" Occidental was everything the "bad" Oriental was not. In this thesis I discuss the use and reoccurrence in two travelogues about Persia, one written by a Frenchmen (Jean-Baptiste Tavernier) and one written by an Ottoman (Evliya Chelebi). I conclude that in both the French and the Ottoman travelogue the use of Orientalistic themes can be found.Show less
Why are there so many and such varied discourses about Tibet? Why do the statements about Tibet made by American, Chinese, and foreign organizations often appear to be quite different from and...Show moreWhy are there so many and such varied discourses about Tibet? Why do the statements about Tibet made by American, Chinese, and foreign organizations often appear to be quite different from and sometimes in contradiction to each other? This research focuses on how Tibet has been framed by different parties in their discourse. It examines how these parties discuss and portray Old Tibet (prior to the Chinese invasion) and Contemporary Tibet. With regard to Old Tibet I consider how Orientalist ideas have influenced and shaped the discourse on Tibet; with regard to Contemporary Tibet, two processes which influence the discourse on Tibet are discussed, namely, the commodification and the politicization of Tibet.Show less
Today the Orientalist figure of the Muslim female is being generalised all over the world, blurring the otherwise wide diversity of women originating from the Middle East and part of the Muslim...Show moreToday the Orientalist figure of the Muslim female is being generalised all over the world, blurring the otherwise wide diversity of women originating from the Middle East and part of the Muslim faith. Shirin Neshat's "Turbulent" encourages such a confusion, taking place in most Western art and academic circles. The discourses upholding the image portrayed in the artwork are part of a social myth that could be overcome. Therefore, this study opens with a contextualization of Shirin Neshat and of her work. Subsequently, it sets out to establish a theoretical background for the myth and the way it can be applied to the present situation in the Middle East. Finally, to demonstrate that this short film, "Turbulent" can overcome existing myths about the ‘Oriental’ woman, it will present an semiotic analysis and propose an alternative reading.Show less
Drawing on a relatively recent trend in Melville criticism, this BA thesis gives a detailed close analysis of some passages in Moby-Dick to demonstrate Melville’s destabilisation of Orientalist...Show moreDrawing on a relatively recent trend in Melville criticism, this BA thesis gives a detailed close analysis of some passages in Moby-Dick to demonstrate Melville’s destabilisation of Orientalist stereotypes and his deconstruction of contemporary racial theories.Show less
The thesis reads two of H.P. Lovecraft’s stories through the lens of Edward Said’s Orientalism, concluding that they each have different orientalist tendencies and analysing these with a fair...Show moreThe thesis reads two of H.P. Lovecraft’s stories through the lens of Edward Said’s Orientalism, concluding that they each have different orientalist tendencies and analysing these with a fair degree of subtlety. This thesis argues against facile claims that Lovecraft was an outright racist, but argues for a nuanced approach to his ideas, keeping in mind his evolving perspective.Show less
Research master thesis | Asian Studies (research) (MA)
open access
In contemporary Western academic publications, the name ‘Tangut’ refers almost exclusively to the dominant ethnic group of a so-called ‘conquest dynasty’, best known by its Chinese name, the Xixia...Show moreIn contemporary Western academic publications, the name ‘Tangut’ refers almost exclusively to the dominant ethnic group of a so-called ‘conquest dynasty’, best known by its Chinese name, the Xixia 西夏 (‘Western Xia’; 1038-1227). However, the name has had different connotations for our medieval and early modern forebears, which might prompt the question: What did medieval and early modern Europeans mean when they used the name ‘Tangut’? Given its present-day use, a corollary question ought to be: Did medieval and early modern Europeans have a similar understanding, or concept, of the Xixia Tanguts as we do today? It is this thesis’s main contention that the name ‘Tangut’ and the early understanding of this name in Europe stems from the same source as our current conception, that is, a Mongolian ethnonym cum toponym. Yet, in Europe it was long understood as mostly a toponym and it was not clearly connected to the concept of the Xixia Tanguts. Indeed, it will be argued that the Tanguts of the Xia are, albeit surprisingly, largely absent in early European descriptions of Chinese and Mongol history, compared to other ethno-historical references in European sources.Show less
This Master Thesis analysis gender-specific representations of Syrian women and men in selected British and German newspaper articles in the current refugee situation in Europe. The Discourse...Show moreThis Master Thesis analysis gender-specific representations of Syrian women and men in selected British and German newspaper articles in the current refugee situation in Europe. The Discourse-historical Approach provides the means to examine the ways in which specific social identities and cultural categories are used to turn Syrian refugees into ’the Oriental Other’ and to make this portrayal seem ’natural’ in the European context. Moreover the interlinkage between identity, migration, religion and gender is discussed. The analysis shows that the process of naturalising images of Syrian refugees differs between the two countries as well as between the national newspapers.Show less
This thesis examines how the work of Majida Khattari and Lalla Essaydi explores notions of history, culture, identity and power in the broader framework of ‘East’-‘West’ relationships and...Show moreThis thesis examines how the work of Majida Khattari and Lalla Essaydi explores notions of history, culture, identity and power in the broader framework of ‘East’-‘West’ relationships and representations, and in particular of (neo-)Orientalism. It investigates how photography, as a medium of re-presentation and re-production, can be used as a tool for de-construction and re-imagination. Through the analysis of Khattari and Essaydi’s work the thesis explores if and how their appropriation of nineteenth century Orientalist aesthetics ‘speaks back to’, and thereby deconstructs, (neo-)Orientalism.Show less
