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Of course, it is plainly obvious - and it was actually understood even
before E.Said's seminal work - that terms like "Orient" or
"Occident" had been imagined, defined, and re-defined with very
obvious political agendas in mind. But, then, "Asia", for
example, is an equally imaginary unit, and in Russian, the word
"Asiatic" has been, in times, loaded with even worse pejorative
meanings that rather romantically sounding "oriental" -
remember, for example, still oft-used word "aziatchina"
("Asian [societal or political forms]" - in many contexts
coterminous with "despotism" or "tyranny"). So,
renaming The Faculty of Oriental Studies into, say, Faculty of Asian and
African Research hardly will cut off the links to the "disgraceful
past". Wouldn't it be wiser to respect the legacy of the
"Orientalist" past while simultaneously trying to be conscious
about all kinds of political agendas in our research work and avoid
certain traps our predecessors did not manage to avoid? That remaining
doesn't necessarily correspond to the real change, is shown very well by
the example of An'gibu which is KukchOngwOn now - Hanch'ongnyOn students
didn't get any better treatment under the new signboard.<br>
<br>
Vladimir <br>
<br>
<br>
At 10:46 08.05.2003 +0200, you wrote:<br>
<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>It need not be emphasized that the
Russian tradition has from its outset been (a rather splendid) and thus
acknowledged part of the European academic tradition.<br>
However, it should be pointed out that in spite of obvious "colonial
vestiges" there is substantial reason for maintaining Faculties of
Oriental Studies: For instance, East Asian history of thought most
obviously cannot be understood without reference to Indian and Central
Asian developments. Vice versa, traditional Indology is heavly
dependent on the knowledge of Chinese texts....<br>
The belated opposition against suspected forms of "Orientalism"
might in fact mirror a certain preoccupation with political notions of
the 20th century.<br>
<br>
Joerg Plassen<br>
Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
CHIRKOV D S wrote:<br>
<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Greetings,<br>
<br>
Tikhonov writes that "The faculty I graduated from in
St-Petersbourg, remains "Oriental" - and, I guess, will not
change the name."<br>
<br>
What, however, proves the point that "oriental" is an
imperialist vestige, is the fact, that in St.-Petersburg, there is not
simply an Oriental Studies Faculty, but a Faculty of Oriental and African
Studies (!).<br>
<br>
What brings scholars to intellectually group Korean Studies with Persian,
African, and Georgian is clear: a Russian attempt to mimic European modes
of education.</blockquote><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite><br>
It is ironic to note, that until recently, Europe considered that Russia
itself, is, the Orient.<br>
<br>
It is high time that one of the largest countries in Asia - Russia - take
steps to integrate itself into the East Asian context. Removing outmoded
distinctions based on a colonial understanding of the world is in
order.<br>
<br>
Regards,<br>
Chirkov.<br>
dchirkov (at) fas harvard edu<br>
</blockquote><br>
<br>
-- <br>
------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
Dr. Joerg Plassen, (Jun.Prof. Geistesgeschichte Koreas)<br>
Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum<br>
Fakultaet fuer Ostasienwissenschaften<br>
Sprache und Kultur Koreas<br>
D-44780 Bochum<br>
Germany<br>
<br>
eMail: joerg.plassen@ruhr-uni-bochum.de<br>
Tel. (off.) : +49-(0)234-32-22919<br>
Fax (off.) : +49-(0)234-32-14747<br>
Tel. (priv.) : +49-(0)234-798-1235<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
Vladimir Tikhonov,<br>
Department of East European and Oriental Studies,<br>
Faculty of Arts,<br>
University of Oslo,<br>
P.b. 1030, Blindern, 0315, Oslo, Norway.<br>
Fax: 47-22854140; Tel: 47-22857118<br>
Personal web page:
<a href="http://www.geocities.com/volodyatikhonov/volodyatikhonov.html" eudora="autourl">http://www.geocities.com/volodyatikhonov/volodyatikhonov.html</a><br>
Electronic classrooms: East Asian/Korean Society and Politics:<br>
<a href="http://www.geocities.com/uioeastasia2002/main.html" eudora="autourl">http://www.geocities.com/uioeastasia2002/main.</a><a href="http://www.geocities.com/uioeastasia2002/main.html" eudora="autourl">html<br>
</a>
East Asian/Korean Religion and Philosophy:<br>
<a href="http://www.geocities.com/uioeastasia2003/classroom.html" eudora="autourl">http://</a>www.geocities.com<a href="http://www.geocities.com/uioeastasia2003/classroom.html" eudora="autourl">/uioeastasia2003/classroom.html</a><br>
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