Edward Said

Edward Wadie Said (last name pronounced sah-eed) was the most-noted critic of the Western academic school of Orientalism who also authored the highly influential book entitled Orientalism in 1979. The publication of this book is considered by many academics to have established the field of postcolonial studies. Said was of Palestinian birth and a Christian. Said was educated in British schools in Egypt, then at American prep schools and attended both Princeton and Harvard. He spent his entire academic career at Columbia University in New York City and was called by The New York Times "the most prominent advocate in the United States of the cause of Palestinian independence." He died on Wednesday, September 24, 2003 at the age of 67.