[KS] Does "the Orient" still exist?

[Vladimir Tikhonov]

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.

Vladimir


At 10:46 08.05.2003 +0200, you wrote:

>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.
>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....
>The belated opposition against suspected forms of "Orientalism" might in 
>fact mirror a certain preoccupation with political notions of the 20th century.
>
>Joerg Plassen
>Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum
>
>
>
>
>CHIRKOV D S wrote:
>
>>Greetings,
>>
>>Tikhonov writes that "The faculty I graduated from in St-Petersbourg, 
>>remains "Oriental" - and, I guess, will not change the name."
>>
>>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 (!).
>>
>>What brings scholars to intellectually group Korean Studies with Persian, 
>>African, and Georgian is clear: a Russian attempt to mimic European modes 
>>of education.
>
>>
>>It is ironic to note, that until recently, Europe considered that Russia 
>>itself, is, the Orient.
>>
>>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.
>>
>>Regards,
>>Chirkov.
>>dchirkov (at) fas harvard edu
>
>
>--
>------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Dr. Joerg Plassen, (Jun.Prof. Geistesgeschichte Koreas)
>Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum
>Fakultaet fuer Ostasienwissenschaften
>Sprache und Kultur Koreas
>D-44780 Bochum
>Germany
>
>eMail: joerg.plassen at ruhr-uni-bochum.de
>Tel. (off.)  : +49-(0)234-32-22919
>Fax  (off.)  : +49-(0)234-32-14747
>Tel. (priv.) : +49-(0)234-798-1235
>
>
>
>

Vladimir Tikhonov,
Department of East European and Oriental Studies,
Faculty of Arts,
University of Oslo,
P.b. 1030, Blindern, 0315, Oslo, Norway.
Fax: 47-22854140; Tel: 47-22857118
Personal web page: 
http://www.geocities.com/volodyatikhonov/volodyatikhonov.html
Electronic classrooms: East Asian/Korean Society and Politics:
                        http://www.geocities.com/uioeastasia2002/main.html
                        East Asian/Korean Religion and Philosophy:
                        http://www.geocities.com/uioeastasia2003/classroom.html

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