Edward Said

Edward Said is one of the foremost thinkers writing today. His work as a literary and cultural critic, a political commentator, and the champion of the cause of Palestinian rights has given him a unique position in western intellectual life. This new book is a major exploration and assessment of his writings in all these main areas. Focusing on Said's insistence on the connection between literature, politics and culture, Kennedy offers an overview and assessment of the main strands of Said's work, drawing out the links and contradictions between each area. The book begins with an examination of Orientalism, one of the founding texts of post-colonial studies. Kennedy looks at the book in detail, probing both its strengths and weaknesses, and linking it to its sequel, Culture and Imperialism. She then examines Said's work on the Palestinian people, with his emphasis on the need for a Palestinian narrative to counter pro-Israeli accounts of the Middle East, and his searing criticisms of US, Israeli, and even Arab governments. The book closes with an examination of Said's importance in the field of post-colonial studies, notably colonial discourse analysis and post-colonial theory, and his significance as a public intellectual. This book will be of great interest to anyone studying post-colonialism, literary theory, politics, and the Middle East, as well as anyone interested in Said's writings.

Edward Said is one of the foremost thinkers writing today. His workas a literary and cultural critic, a political commentator, and thechampion of the cause of Palestinian rights has given him a uniqueposition in western intellectual life. This new book is a majorexploration and assessment of his writings in all these main areas.Focusing on Said's insistence on the connection betweenliterature, politics and culture, Kennedy offers an overview andassessment of the main strands of Said's work, drawing out thelinks and contradictions between each area. The book begins with anexamination of Orientalism, one of the founding texts ofpost-colonial studies. Kennedy looks at the book in detail, probingboth its strengths and weaknesses, and linking it to its sequelCulture and Imperialism. She then examines Said's work onthe Palestinian people, with his emphasis on the need for aPalestinian narrative to counter pro-Israeli accounts of the MiddleEast, and his searing criticisms of US, Israeli, and even Arabgovernments. The book closes with an examination of Said'simportance in the field of post-colonial studies, notably colonialdiscourse analysis and post-colonial theory, and his significanceas a public intellectual.This book will be of great interest to anyone studyingpost-colonialism, literary theory, politics, and the Middle Eastas well as anyone interested in Said's writings.

Acknowledgements.Abbreviations.Introduction.1. Orientalism.2. Imperialism in the Middle East: Palestine, Israel and theUSA.3. After Orientalism: Culture and Imperialism.4. Said and Postcolonial Studies.Conclusion.Notes.Bibliography.Index.