EDWARD SAID’S ORIENTALISM: A CRITIQUE OF WESTERN EPISTEMOLOGY

This article explores Edward Said's concept of Orientalism as a critical lens for analyzing the construction of the “East” in Western knowledge systems. Drawing from postcolonial theory, critical discourse analysis, and Foucauldian notions of power/knowledge, the article reveals how Orientalism functions not only as a cultural narrative but as a mechanism of epistemological domination and political control. By interrogating canonical literary texts, scholarly works, and colonial documents, this study uncovers the ideological biases embedded in Western representations of the Orient and their enduring impact on global geopolitics. The discussion highlights both the strengths and critiques of Said's theory and its relevance to contemporary cultural and political debates.