How did Edward Said’s Orientalism change the study of literature and colonialism?

Edward Said’s 1978 book, Orientalism, fundamentally transformed literary criticism and the study of colonialism by exposing how Western scholarship and literature constructed a biased, stereotyped vision of the "Orient".12

Said argued that Western representations of Arab and Asian cultures were not objective observations but were instead projections of "otherness" that served to facilitate and justify Western imperial power. By examining how these depictions were embedded in cultural and literary works, he demonstrated that the study of the East was inextricably linked to the political dynamics of colonialism.1

His work had several profound impacts on the field:

• Critical Re-evaluation: It encouraged scholars to analyze literature through the lens of social and cultural politics, revealing how narratives can reinforce or challenge imperialist ideologies.1
• Deconstruction of Discourse: Said’s critique led to a widespread "shattering" of the traditional study of the East, as scholars began to recognize that such research was often "tarred" by Eurocentrism, racism, and colonial bias.2
• Postcolonial Shift: His influence helped establish the framework for postcolonial studies, prompting a critical focus on how Western intellectual traditions have historically fostered the oppression of Eastern peoples.2