Comments | nora_bean: (do I dare?)

nora_bean

(do I dare?)

Aug 28, 2006 14:28

I promise, this is not as polemical as it seems:

C-SPAN panel on the influence of AIPAC, with Walt and Mearsheimerreally, it's good ( Read more... )

Comments 5

grumblybean August 29 2006, 01:22:07 UTC

Have you read Edward Said's Orientalism?

I have this burning need to discuss empire with someone. Especially the artificial division of east and west that for some reason is still stupidly and destructively at large in our world.

I guess that's kind of your field? :)

nora_bean August 29 2006, 01:42:46 UTC

dude! I loved Orientalism - it's been criticized inside and out, but reading it was like a little epiphany for me, mostly because I read it before I knew anything about anything.

oh man. once "other" became a verb and "problematize" entered the lexicon, it was on.

man, we should totally talk empire. I don't know much outside the middle east / africa. and only a very little bit about the british, or india or asia. more about french stuff. we can swap notes? :)

I think this is totally why I feel so militant about things these days. everything now is seen through the lens of colonialism and its ideological legacy, to the point where sometimes I am probably definitely seeing things that aren't even there.

hey have you ever seen Burn, with Marlon Brando? it's the same director who did Battle of Algiers. Brando has a british accent, and the movie breaks your heart - evil brit sugar cane plantation owners and the slaves who rise up against them! anyway it's good :)

linzertorte26 August 29 2006, 04:54:23 UTC

nora, i still have your orientalism. it is safe.

i had to read portions of orientalism for one of my grad classes. i also did a few lit reviews on postcolonial theory, but from an ed policy standpoint. it was around that time that my lens shifted as well.

you need to start writing op-eds for the tribune. for reals!

also, did you know that HR3077 (I think) ... int'l studies act...part of the reauth of the higher ed act...essentially tried to justify discontinuing funding of many middle east studies programs on the basis of whether or not those programs incorporated Said's theory/perspective into their curricula??

yeaaaahhh.

nora_bean August 29 2006, 18:51:04 UTC

dude, I totally forgot it was with you. no worries.

yeah, I heard about that bill last semester. really freaky. it's thought-policing!

yikes.

grumblybean August 29 2006, 13:28:59 UTC

I haven't read it yet, but I will as soon as possible!

Note swapping is certainly in order! Maybe I will write up a little entry on the (simplified) history of India/England in my grumbly_grad. I need to fix it all in my brain anyway...

Burn...it's on the list! Does the list ever get smaller!? :)