Easternism

/ˈiːstərnɪzəm/ noun

Definition

A system of beliefs, cultural practices, or political ideology associated with eastern regions or peoples; or excessive interest in eastern cultures.

Etymology

From 'eastern' plus '-ism' (system/ideology). This term parallels 'Orientalism' and gained usage in the 19th-20th centuries in academic and cultural criticism.

Kelly Says

Edward Said's 'Orientalism' examined how Western powers created 'easternism'—an imaginary East serving Western fantasies—showing how vocabulary itself can reveal colonial power structures.

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