Microsoft Word - AIA300 Assignment 1.docx
AIA300 Australia’s Asia
Assignment 1
Research and Writing Exercise
Length: 1000 words
Date Due: Friday 10 August
Weighting: 25%
Edward Said’s concept of Orientalism is the key theoretical framework for this unit. Drawing on Said’s
Orientalism XXXXXXXXXXand at least 4 other secondary sources, write an essay that explains and
analyses the concept of Orientalism. Your essay must include:
• an explanation of the concept of Orientalism; and
• a discussion of the relevance of the concept of Orientalism for understanding Australia’s
elationships and engagements with Asia.
You will find a starting-point for relevant secondary sources in the list of References and Further
Readings in the Topic 1 Study Guide (Introduction: Australia, Asia, Orientalism). Please reference
your work co
ectly, using either Oxford or Harvard referencing style. The criteria of assessment are
elow. Essays must be submitted through Cloud Deakin. Requests for extensions should be directed
to the Unit Chair.
Criteria High Distinction Distinction Credit Pass
Fail and Needs
Significant
Improvement
Address all parts of the
question
Question is well and fully
addressed with
significant insight.
Question is well
addressed with
some insight.
Question is
addressed, but
more was needed.
Question is
eferenced but
addressed only
vaguely.
Essay question is not
fully addressed.
Analysis of Orientalism
Analysis of Orientalism
has significant depth and
demonstrates
comprehensive
understanding.
Analysis of
Orientalism has
some depth and
demonstrates
strong
understanding.
Analysis of
Orientalism
demonstrates
adequate
understanding.
Orientalism is
analysed; there is
some
understanding
demonstrated.
The concept of
Orientalism is not
well understood
and/or analysis is
inadequate.
Communication
and Clear Structure
Essay is well structured
with a clear logic and
each point sequenced in
a progressive way.
Essay is well
structured with a
logical sequencing
of points.
Essay has a
comprehensible
structure, but could
e improved.
Essay has an
adequate
structure/is well
structured in
parts.
Essay is poorly
structured and/or
without a clear
sequencing of points.
Quality of Writing
Essay has excellent
grammar with accurate
spelling and eloquent
expression.
Essay has very
good grammar
with sound
spelling and
expression.
Essay has good
grammar with
easonable spelling
and expression, but
some improvements
needed.
Essay writing is
adequate but
improvements
needed.
Essay is not well
written with poor
grammar and/or
spelling and/or
expression.
Presentation and
eferencing
Exceptional presentation
with accurate referencing
of sources.
High quality
presentation with
strong referencing.
Solid presentation
with reasonable
eferencing.
Adequate
presentation and
eferencing.
Poor presentation
and/or inadequate
eferencing.
Overall Score Level 5 Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1
Edward Said drew heavily on Michel Foucault's ideas of 'discourse' to build a three strand argument about 'Orientalism.' Very
iefly, the three strands (or discourses within the meta-discourse of Orientalism) are:
1) The academic study of ‘the Orient’, predicated on assumptions of 'Western' superiority. In Australia's experience we might think about historical efforts to 'know Asia', which Said (and others) might regard as thought-limiting and needlessly simplistic.
2) Related to this is a system of thought, a Euro-American habit of regarding the 'East' and 'West', (or 'Asia' and the 'West') as existing separately, in a simple, unproblematic, binaristic relationship, not as a Euro-Americo-centric, self-perpetuating (and self-aggrandising) cultural construct in which the 'West' assumes that the 'Orient' is an homogeneous 'other'. Again, thought limiting and needlessly simplistic.
2) The third strand is the behaviours that derive from the above ways of thinking, which seem to justify “dominating, restructuring and having authority over the Orient” such as Euro-American colonialism, imperialism, neo-imperialism, arguably also military interventions, aid distribution and many of the economic and cultural practices of globalisation (i.e. US tech companies and China) - all that sort of thing.
Put these together and it would seem that Orientalism offers clues about Australians' past and present responses and engagements with Asia. I'm sure you can think of a dozen examples! Since colonisation (but notably, not before) Australians have behaved in ways that assume Asia to be ‘the other’, they have displayed a sense of superiority in ‘knowing’ Asia, and made assumptions about Australia’s place in Asia. Orientalism was written in the 1970s and the world has changed considerably since then, however, much of what Said wrote still rings true but is now embedded in globalisation.
Oh and it could also be worth thinking about Asia's responses to the practices of Orientlsism? In general it has not been, as might be expected, to reject the flawed ideology of an “absolute demarcation between East and West”, but to reclaim 'Asianness' as a rallying cry to self-determination (and sometimes a justification for rejecting processes of liberal democratisation). So I guess that means we're stuck with it!