orientalism

Study of Asian or Eastern history, culture, and people, from a Western perspective.

Orientalism is historically an expression of the curiosity of an imperialistic mindset, though this is becoming less so.

by LudwigVan November 11, 2003

orientalism

Exoticization or fetishization of East Asian culture. The disease that asiaphiles suffer from.

The honky suffers from Orientalism.

by Ding Dong December 31, 2003

Orientalism

A phenology that views Christianity and Islam as contraposed in a latent conflict requiring imminent resolution.

In contrast to meta-Zionism (messianism) which views Christianity and Judaism as contraposed in an Oedipal conflict.

Orientalism is most locally associated with the work of Bernard Lewis.

by tomorrowtomorrow January 9, 2019

orientalism

The postulation that the global dialectic is a conflict between the far East and the Near East over who invented monotheism.

This would stand in contract to Occidentalism's dialectic of a conflict between Western "monotheism" and Eastern 'polytheism.'

Orientalism propounds that the dialectic of East vs. West can be correctly reduced to Iranicism vs. Arabism..

by flightfacilities February 18, 2022

Orientalist

Someone, usually Caucasian, but not always, who is very interested in the various cultures of Asia, commonly known as the Orient,
such as languages, writing systems, traditions & architecture.
The orientalist may study to an extreme to amass as much knowledge about Asia as they can.

Some people may call me an Orientalist, but I would refute that assumption.

by Princess Michiru Kaiou March 2, 2009

Sprunki Orientalist

Someone who is almost in the incredibox sprunki fandom, but doesn’t care enough to actually be in the fandom.

People who know star wars lore, but don’t have an emotional reaction to order 66 are the sprunki orientalists of star wars.

by TheCareLost January 25, 2025