Persistence of Orientalism

The book examines the 1798 Napoleonic invasion of Egypt, often viewed as a pivotal moment marking the transition from premodern to modern in Middle Eastern history. It critiques the enduring narrative that frames the West as a savior of the static East, despite decades of scholarship challenging such binaries. Peter Gran explores the origins of this dominant paradigm and analyzes how academic scholarship continues to uphold these perspectives, making it a significant work in understanding Orientalism's persistence in contemporary discourse.