Author: Edward Said
Synopsis
Said argues that Western scholarship, literature, and political discourse often constructed an imagined 'Orient' as exotic, backward, irrational, and fundamentally different from the West. These representations were closely connected to imperial power.
Why It Matters to Sociology
The book transformed humanities and social-science scholarship by showing how knowledge and representation can reinforce domination. It became foundational to postcolonial studies and influenced research on stereotypes, media, culture, empire, and identity.