In one of his speeches, Tayep Salih states that “one of the main themes of Season of Migration to the North is […] the confrontation between the Arab Muslim World and the Western European one. […] I have re-defined the so-called East/West relationship as essentially one of conflict, while it had previously been treated in romantic terms. We know better now” (Hassan, 248). Salih’s confrontation with the West may be seen as an attempt to avenge the devastating consequences of its colonial past, reclaim the image of the African and Arabian, exposing the inherent artificiality and repressive attitudes embedded in its derogatory, misrepresented portrayal. However, Salih also shows it as an encounter that delves into the present complexities of …show more content…
In Salih’s confrontation with the West, one hears the echoes of Chimamanda Adichie’s crucial question, “How can we resist exploitation if we don’t have the tools to understand exploitation [and negotiate this new world]?” (HY, 13) and one is able to see how Salih deals with such an issue. The world of the Sudanese suffers from its own traditionalism in addition to its colonial past which eventually, to borrow from Achebe, falls apart because of their failure to reconcile local practices and beliefs with Western knowledge and consequently, fails to reclaim their lost identities through such synthesis. Hence, Salih’s confrontation with the west confirms and critiques the dissonance between the north and the south as well as the conflict within the south itself, exposing the misconceived belief of “see[ing] with one eye, speak[ing] with one tongue and see[ing] things as either black or white, either Eastern or Western” (SMN, 72). Thus, reverse colonisation as anti-colonial resistance as well as a regression into traditionalism are not solutions, they must be fruitfully brought …show more content…
This notion is reminiscent of Edward Said’s understanding of the oriental as an artificial, false concept created by the West to describe the East. Mustafa Sa’eed echoes this notion numerous times, “This Mustafa Sa’eed does not exist. He is an illusion, a lie. I ask you to rule that lie to be killed. Why don’t you sentence me to be hanged and so kill the lie?” (46). Similarly, the narrator asserts that “if we are lies we shall be lies of our own making”. Both characters become a mouthpiece for articulating an awareness of the illusory thinking contended by Salih. However, underlying their statements is something more crucial: the narrator’s assertion cannot be an alternative to the lie that Mustafa claims he is, simply because they are inherently the same thing. Both are artificial constructs and both depend on exclusionary, rigid notions of what it means to be Eastern/Western and both necessarily rely on the other in its construction. Salih concedes sameness in accepting or opposing the Western and foreign or the Eastern and traditional and illustrates how embracing either one can valorise similar boundaries, impoverish and envelop people and nations into similar catastrophes. He proposes a nuanced understanding where the clash between the East and the West, the North
Ansary, Mir Tamim. Destiny Disrupted: A History of the World through Islamic Eyes. New York: PublicAffairs, 2009. Print.
Civil war in a country such as Sudan caused major damage within the borders. Death surrounded the nation as the northern Islamic and the southern Christians fought. This long lasting conflict finally ended and resulted in the creation of a new country, Southern Sudan. Clearly now is the time for the Lost Boys to return once again, as educated people, to rebuild their homeland. Bixler’s novel is a message of how education is a vital tool for those willing to enrich their lives and the lives of others less fortunate.
...taken the form of universalization of those same structures across the world through reforming measures or through discourses in the Muslim world, thus creating conflicts as noted by Majid. The main weapon of this power relationship is observing and differentiating between good and bad, thus ingraining binary oppositions with the western values at the superior end. Thus, the western hegemony is like a beauty myth which is an unattainable western standard which is not only undesirable but harmful for the non-west. Still, they are coerced to adopt this standard due to a constant gaze and pressure from the West. Therefore, there is a need to revert this gaze and dismantle the western hegemony and power structures through the proliferation of ideas; ideas that take root not merely from the power elite or existing structures but stem from individual and provincial needs.
In Northern Kenya a small village of Sudanese refugees have made a makeshift village, which has served as their permanent housing for the past twenty years. This village displays the kind of poverty that is predictably featured in Time Magazine on a semi-regular basis: mud walls are adorned by straw roofs, ribs can be easily counted on shirtless bodies, flour is a resource precious enough to be rationed, and a formidable desert can be seen in all directions. What do you see when you look at this village? Do you see a primitive society, struggling to survive in a world that has long made struggling for survival antiquated, do you see the cost of western colonialism, do you see a people deprived of the dignity of humanity, do you just
According to Amin Maalouf, “It seems clear that the Arab East still sees the West as a natural enemy. Against that enemy, any hostile action-be it political, military, or based on oil-is considered no more than legitimate vengeance. And there can be no doubt that the schism between these two worlds dates from the Crusades, deeply felt by the Arabs, even today, as an act of rape” (Amin Maalouf). When reflecting on The Crusades Through Arab Eyes, this quote always sticks out as the most powerful piece of Maalouf’s work. As a growing college student this quote brings harsh reality to the world I live in. I believe as you grow through life, you become more and more aware of the world around you through education. In order to be aware you must be educated; The Crusades Through Arab Eyes has done just that by opening my eyes to a world and viewpoint I have never before considered.
The performative aspect of language conceptualised by Austin half a century ago, enables a more nuanced approach to the statement ‘The Middle East is an Invention’ than a simple examination whether it is true or false. It implies the necessity of an examination that takes into consideration its possible meanings and their historical origins. Moreover, such an action has its political implications. These can become visible if such an argument is considered in contrast to its historical counterpart that presupposes that the term ‘Middle East’ contains an essence of some sort and as such it can be definitely analysed to its components. Comprehended in that manner, the claim that the Middle East is a fictitious artefact is first and foremost a critique.
...d viewed independence as the British keeping their rule through their Arab colleagues. Continuous Sudanese governments have failed or been reluctant to change the inequalities brought on by colonialism in the nation and therefore discrimination is being exposed in Sudan.
Since September 11, 2001, the Western world’s view of the Middle East, specifically countries like Iraq or Afghanistan, has shifted drastically. Whenever the media portrays the Middle East, they manage to spin a story negatively or violently. Due to these extrinsic influences, the youngest generation of Americans has never known an America that did not express at least some hatred toward certain parts of the Eastern world. Novels like The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini strive to encourage a healthy interest in Afghanistan and the Middle East while breaking the stereotypes that westerners have come to accept as fact about the culture and religion of Afghanistan. Hosseini manages to conjure a universal story line with relatable characters that introduce the world to the everyday people of postcolonial Afghanistan. On a grander scale, in The Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini utilizes his own life experiences alongside his firsthand account of the contemporary history of Afghanistan to craft a novel that breaks down these negative stereotypes and offers a significant contribution to Afghan American literature.
Critics have already begun a heated debate over the success of the book that has addressed both its strengths and weaknesses. The debate may rage for a few years but it will eventually fizzle out as the success of the novel sustains. The characters, plot, emotional appeal, and easily relatable situations are too strong for this book to crumble. The internal characteristics have provided a strong base to withstand the petty attacks on underdeveloped metaphors and transparent descriptions. The novel does not need confrontations with the Middle East to remain a staple in modern reading, it can hold its own based on its life lessons that anyone can use.
Holt, P.M. and M.W Daly. A History of the Sudan: from the coming of Islam to the present
According to Said (1978) the entire concept of ‘orientalism’ is compromised, in the eyes of most Arabic and Asian peoples because it appears to them to be filled with archaic prejudices against Eastern cultures. Moreover, the word ‘orientalism’ is also used to refer to the definitions of Middle Eastern cultures by scholars who hold more pro-Eastern attitudes. Another common complaint is that Western historians and scholars’ definitions of orientalism do not seek to make distinctions between the different tribes and cultures that make up the Middle East (Varisco 2013). Their definition of ‘orientalism’ is based on similar constructs to those in the West where, even though different nations may have different ethnic groups, they all embrace a progressive culture based on Judeo-Christian co...
Making the decision to leave your country for the better is a very difficult decision. This decision means leaving your family and friends, going somewhere that you have nothing, and possibly endangering your life. Mohsin Hamid describes the difficulties of migration through the novel Exit West. In this novel Hamid follows a young couple migrating out of their home town for safety and a better life. These reasons also apply to real life migration for why people are migrating. Hamid represents the traveling part of migration through these magical doors that leads to another country, depicts learning how to find your way in a new place, and presents the difficulties of countries not wanting migrants.
The Fatimid’s had been rumored to be tolerant, compassionate and focused on unifying Islam; however, it has been proved that this was not always the case. Orientalists have acknowledged their contribution towards the advancement of Islam and claim that the Christian and Jewish communities excelled during this time; but it did not come without its deceptions and deviations from Islamic norms and rules. This historiography will explore whether the Fatimids were actually the tolerant Muslims whose actions, belief systems and practices evidenced the growth of Islam and tolerance of other religions, or if they were merely politi...
While Collins does a succinct job of examining the economic and political factors that heightened colonization, he fails to hone in on the mental warfare that was an essential tool in creating African division and ultimately European conquest. Not only was the systematic dehumanization tactics crippling for the African society, but also, the system of racial hierarchy created the division essential for European success. The spillover effects of colonialism imparted detrimental affects on the African psyche, ultimately causing many, like Shanu, to, “become victims to the white man’s greed.”
In this book , Esposito provides a succinct, up-to-date survey of the Islamic experience, an introduction to the faith, belief, and practice of Islam from its origins to its contemporary resurgence. He traces the emergence and development of this dynamic faith and its impact on world history and politics. He discusses the formation of Islamic belief and practice (law, theology, philosophy, and mysticism), chronicling the struggle of Muslims to define and adhere to their Islamic way of life. Equally important is the essential information Esposito provides on the contemporary world of Islam, from Muslim responses to the challenges of colonialism and modernization to the reassertion of Islam in politics and society.