Edward Said’s Methodology in Cultural Criticism

Edward Said’s Methodology in Cultural Criticism

Section: Article
Issue
Vol. 6 No. 21.1 (2026): Al-Hamdaniya Conference
Pages
80-57

Keywords:

Orientalism - Edward - Criticism - Cultural - Colonialism

Abstract





This study originates from its very title, seeking to explore the methodology and concepts that Edward Said employed or formulated in his examination of Western critical discourse toward the “Other”—particularly the Arab Other—and the perspectives this discourse carried regarding Arab heritage, Arab identity, and the Middle Eastern context more broadly. We argue that Edward Said’s project represents the genuine beginning of cultural criticism within the Arab cultural sphere. His work provides a clear and well-defined vision grounded in the historical and Western intellectual heritage, from which one can anticipate future Western perspectives toward the Other, whether Arab or otherwise. What concerns us most, however, is the Arab subject itself. Among Said’s most significant and prominent critical tools are colonialism and postcolonialism, secular criticism, and contrapuntal reading. Collectively, these tools constitute Said’s critical roadmap for understanding Western thought and culture in their engagement with the Arab Other and its literature





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Author

Ali Rafea Younis

College of Education for Women / University of Mosul

Identifiers

DOI: 10.33899/6rpczz48

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How to Cite

Edward Said’s Methodology in Cultural Criticism: Edward Said’s Methodology in Cultural Criticism. (2026). Journal of Education for the Humanities , 6(21.1), 80-57. https://doi.org/10.33899/6rpczz48
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How to Cite

Edward Said’s Methodology in Cultural Criticism: Edward Said’s Methodology in Cultural Criticism. (2026). Journal of Education for the Humanities , 6(21.1), 80-57. https://doi.org/10.33899/6rpczz48