The Occident is a term for the West, traditionally comprising anything that belongs to the Western world. It is the antonym of the term Orient, referring to the Eastern world. In English, it has largely fallen into disuse. The term occidental is often used to describe objects from the Occident but can be considered an outdated term by some. The term originated with geographical divisions mirroring the cultural divide between the Greek East and the Latin West, and the political divide between the Western and Eastern Roman Empires.
Etymology
The term "Occident" derives from the Latin word occidens meaning "west" (lit. setting < occido fall/set). The use of the word for "setting" to refer to the west (where the sun sets) has analogs from many languages: compare the terms "Arevmutk" in Armenian: արեւմուտք (Armenian Arevmutk means "West" or "Sunset"), "Ponant" (< French ponant "setting"), “Dhisi” Greek: Δύση ( < Greek “Dhii” Greek: Δύει meaning “setting”), "Zapad" Russian: Запад (< Russian zakat Russian: закат "sunset"). In Arabic, the Maghreb "maḡrib" Arabic: مَغْرِب (< Arabic ḡarb غَرْب "to go down, to set") literally means "the sunset", "the west". Historically, the Maghreb was the southern part of the Western Roman Empire. In IsiZulu, the term "Ntshonalanga" for 'west' means 'where the sun sets' and analogously the term 'Mpumalanga' means 'where the sun rises'.
Another word for Occident in German is Abendland (rarely: "Okzident"), now mainly poetic, which literally translates as "evening land". The antonym "Morgenland" is also mainly poetic, and refers to Asia.
The opposite term "Orient" derives from the Latin word oriens, meaning "east" (lit. "rising" < orior " rise").
History of the term
The adjectival term "Occidental" has been used to mean cultures, peoples, countries, European rugs, and goods from the Occident. "Occidental" means generally "western". It is a traditional designation (especially when capitalized) for anything belonging to the Occident or "West" (for Europe), and especially of its Western culture. It indicated the western direction in historical astronomy, often abbreviated "Occ".
In more local uses, "occidental" is also used for western parts of countries, especially in Romance languages. Examples include the "oriental" and "occidental" provinces of Mindoro and Negros in the Philippines, and the French département of Pyrénées-Orientales.
In Occidentalism: The West in the Eyes of its Enemies (2004), Ian Buruma and Avishai Margalit said that nationalist and nativist resistance to the West replicates Eastern-world responses against the socioeconomic forces of modernization, which originated in Western culture, among utopian radicals and conservative nationalists who viewed capitalism, liberalism, and secularism as forces destructive of their societies and cultures. While the early responses to the West were a genuine encounter between alien cultures, many of the later manifestations of Occidentalism betray the influence of Western ideas upon Eastern intellectuals, such as the supremacy of the nation-state, the Romantic rejection of rationality, and the spiritual impoverishment of the citizenry of liberal democracies.
Buruma and Margalit trace that resistance to German Romanticism and to the debates, between the Westernizers and the Slavophiles in 19th century Russia, and show that like arguments appear in the ideologies of Zionism, Maoism, Islamism, and Imperial Japanese nationalism. Nonetheless, Alastair Bonnett rejects the analyses of Buruma and Margalit as Eurocentric, and said that the field of Occidentalism emerged from the interconnection of Eastern and Western intellectual traditions.
Notes
- Hooke, Robert. 1666. Drawing of Saturn in Philosophical Transactions (Royal Society publication) Volume 1
- Hari, Johann (2004-08-15). "Occidentalism by Ian Buruma & Avishai Margalit". The Independent. Archived from the original on April 22, 2013. Retrieved 2013-01-29.
- Shlapentokh, Dmitry (July 2, 2005). "Changing perceptions". Asia Times. Archived from the original on January 5, 2019. Retrieved 2013-01-29.
- Martin Jacques (2004-09-04). "Review: Occidentalism by Ian Buruma and Avishai Margalit". The Guardian. Retrieved 2013-01-29.
- "Occidentalism by Ian Buruma and Avishai Margalit". The New York Review of Books. 2002-01-17. Retrieved 2013-01-29.
Further reading
- Ankerl, Guy (2000). Coexisting contemporary civilizations: Arabo-Muslim, Bharati, Chinese, and West. INU societal research. Vol. 1. Global communication without universal civilization. Geneva: INU Press. ISBN 2-88155-004-5.
- Hanafi, Hassan, Muqaddimah fi 'ilm al-istighrab (Introduction to Occidentalism), Cairo, Madbuli, 1991.
- König, Daniel G., Arabic-Islamic Views of the Latin West. Tracing the Emergence of Medieval Europe, Oxford, OUP, 2015.
- Souza, Teotonio R. de, "Orientalism, Occidentosis and Other Viral Strains: Historical Objectivity and Social Responsibilities", in The Portuguese, Indian Ocean and European Bridgeheads, Festschrift in Honour of Prof. K.S. Mathew, eds Pius Malekandathil & Jamal Mohammed, Fundação Oriente, India, 2001. ISBN 978-81-900166-5-0. pp. 452–479.
External links
- The Western Tradition homepage at Annenberg/CPB Archived 20 April 2019 at the Wayback Machine – where you can watch each episode on demand for free (Pop-ups required)
The Occident is a term for the West traditionally comprising anything that belongs to the Western world It is the antonym of the term Orient referring to the Eastern world In English it has largely fallen into disuse The term occidental is often used to describe objects from the Occident but can be considered an outdated term by some The term originated with geographical divisions mirroring the cultural divide between the Greek East and the Latin West and the political divide between the Western and Eastern Roman Empires Ancient Occident of the Roman EmpireEtymologyThe term Occident derives from the Latin word occidens meaning west lit setting lt occido fall set The use of the word for setting to refer to the west where the sun sets has analogs from many languages compare the terms Arevmutk in Armenian արեւմուտք Armenian Arevmutk means West or Sunset Ponant lt French ponant setting Dhisi Greek Dysh lt Greek Dhii Greek Dyei meaning setting Zapad Russian Zapad lt Russian zakat Russian zakat sunset In Arabic the Maghreb maḡrib Arabic م غ ر ب lt Arabic ḡarb غ ر ب to go down to set literally means the sunset the west Historically the Maghreb was the southern part of the Western Roman Empire In IsiZulu the term Ntshonalanga for west means where the sun sets and analogously the term Mpumalanga means where the sun rises Another word for Occident in German is Abendland rarely Okzident now mainly poetic which literally translates as evening land The antonym Morgenland is also mainly poetic and refers to Asia The opposite term Orient derives from the Latin word oriens meaning east lit rising lt orior rise History of the termThe adjectival term Occidental has been used to mean cultures peoples countries European rugs and goods from the Occident Occidental means generally western It is a traditional designation especially when capitalized for anything belonging to the Occident or West for Europe and especially of its Western culture It indicated the western direction in historical astronomy often abbreviated Occ In more local uses occidental is also used for western parts of countries especially in Romance languages Examples include the oriental and occidental provinces of Mindoro and Negros in the Philippines and the French departement of Pyrenees Orientales In Occidentalism The West in the Eyes of its Enemies 2004 Ian Buruma and Avishai Margalit said that nationalist and nativist resistance to the West replicates Eastern world responses against the socioeconomic forces of modernization which originated in Western culture among utopian radicals and conservative nationalists who viewed capitalism liberalism and secularism as forces destructive of their societies and cultures While the early responses to the West were a genuine encounter between alien cultures many of the later manifestations of Occidentalism betray the influence of Western ideas upon Eastern intellectuals such as the supremacy of the nation state the Romantic rejection of rationality and the spiritual impoverishment of the citizenry of liberal democracies Buruma and Margalit trace that resistance to German Romanticism and to the debates between the Westernizers and the Slavophiles in 19th century Russia and show that like arguments appear in the ideologies of Zionism Maoism Islamism and Imperial Japanese nationalism Nonetheless Alastair Bonnett rejects the analyses of Buruma and Margalit as Eurocentric and said that the field of Occidentalism emerged from the interconnection of Eastern and Western intellectual traditions NotesHooke Robert 1666 Drawing of Saturn in Philosophical Transactions Royal Society publication Volume 1 Hari Johann 2004 08 15 Occidentalism by Ian Buruma amp Avishai Margalit The Independent Archived from the original on April 22 2013 Retrieved 2013 01 29 Shlapentokh Dmitry July 2 2005 Changing perceptions Asia Times Archived from the original on January 5 2019 Retrieved 2013 01 29 Martin Jacques 2004 09 04 Review Occidentalism by Ian Buruma and Avishai Margalit The Guardian Retrieved 2013 01 29 Occidentalism by Ian Buruma and Avishai Margalit The New York Review of Books 2002 01 17 Retrieved 2013 01 29 Further readingAnkerl Guy 2000 Coexisting contemporary civilizations Arabo Muslim Bharati Chinese and West INU societal research Vol 1 Global communication without universal civilization Geneva INU Press ISBN 2 88155 004 5 Hanafi Hassan Muqaddimah fi ilm al istighrab Introduction to Occidentalism Cairo Madbuli 1991 Konig Daniel G Arabic Islamic Views of the Latin West Tracing the Emergence of Medieval Europe Oxford OUP 2015 Souza Teotonio R de Orientalism Occidentosis and Other Viral Strains Historical Objectivity and Social Responsibilities in The Portuguese Indian Ocean and European Bridgeheads Festschrift in Honour of Prof K S Mathew eds Pius Malekandathil amp Jamal Mohammed Fundacao Oriente India 2001 ISBN 978 81 900166 5 0 pp 452 479 External linksLook up Occident occident Occidental or occidental in Wiktionary the free dictionary The Western Tradition homepage at Annenberg CPB Archived 20 April 2019 at the Wayback Machine where you can watch each episode on demand for free Pop ups required
