Oriental studies

Oriental studies is the academic field that studies Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology. In recent years, the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of Middle Eastern studies and Asian studies. Traditional Oriental studies in Europe is today generally focused on the discipline of Islamic studies; the study of China, especially traditional China, is often called sinology. The study of East Asia in general, especially in the United States, is often called East Asian studies. The European study of the region formerly known as "the Orient" had primarily religious origins, which have remained an important motivation until recent times. That is partly since the Abrahamic religions in Europe (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam) originated in the Middle East and because of the rise of Islam in the 7th century. Consequently, there was much interest in the origin of those faiths and of Western culture in general. Learning from medieval Arabic medicine and philosophy and Greek translations into Arabic were important factors during the Middle Ages. Linguistic knowledge preceded a wider study of cultures and history, and as Europe began to expand its influence in the region, political and economic factors encouraged growth in its academic study. In the late 18th century, archaeology became a link from the discipline to the wider European public, as artefacts brought back through a variety of means went on display in museums throughout Europe. According to Edward Said, modern Oriental studies were strongly influenced by imperialistic attitudes and interests, as well as by the fascination of Mediterranean and European writers and thinkers for the "exotic East". Captured in images by artists, this was embodied in a repeatedly surfacing theme in the history of ideas in the West called "Orientalism". Since the 20th century, scholars from the...