journal entry: "Arab, Islam, and Dogmas of West" and "Indo-Chic"

Arab, Islam and the Dogmas of the West- Edward Said

In this short excerpt, Said discusses the topic of Orientalism and the principal dogmas related to it, particularly in Western studies of Arabs and Islam. He notes four important aspects on page 104. There exists a systematic difference between the west and the orient. The Westerners are often viewed as more developed, humane , and superior while the Orients are seen as undeveloped and inferior. This relates to the concept of social and racial hierarchy that exists. I thought it was also interesting how the author notes that the abstractions about Orients are based on texts rather than the direct evidence from modern oriental realities. I thought this showed how we have a natural tendency to follow popular beliefs and believe what we hear and see rather than taking the time to actually learn what they are truly going through. The orient is at the bottom to be feared or to be controlled. I thought this really ties into the topic of globalization where higher systems of power dominate and provide a framework of how people should act and what people should believe.

Indo-Chic: Late Capitalist Orientalism and Imperial Culture - Sunaina Maira

The essay focuses of emergence of “indo-chic” and how it is globalized through media, fashion and music. One of the topics talked about affecting late capitalist orientalism are hennas and bindis. It was interesting to see how henna is reinvented to fit parameters of American traditions. I remember in high school, i first heard about henna. I knew it originated in Southeast Asia, but that was it. I was more fascinated by the “new” form of body art that was almost like a tatoo but it was temporary. I was also drawn to try henna mainly because most of my peers had it. Rather than realizing the history of Henna, and what it represents, i was too caught up with how it became so popular and it was the “new thing”. Henna was reinvented and repackaged to fit into our own culture. Similar to henna, bindis were also reinvented into new forms such as being worn on shoulder or belly buttons particularly on dance floors for clubbers and ravers. I thought it was interesting how this visibility of Indo-chic and the mass marketing makes visible an exoticized India while repressing social histories and material relations that connect India and US (Maira, 223). On the superficial levels, the emergence of Indo-chic makes US seem very progressive, tying in other cultures, but we forget how it affects other countries. I thought it was surprising how henna is now an endangered practice in South Asia due to modernization and urbanization. The meaning and history behind it has been forgotten and lost.  This was eye-opening and a reminder how it is important to understand history and meaning behind each culture.