College of Arts

The Message, The vision and the Goals

The Message
The Unit for the Study of Istishraq strives to achieve three aims, which we express as : to understand, to make others understand, and to be understood. First, our mission is to understand Western writings, specifically those termed under the title Orientalism, and to know how the West formulated its ideas about Islam, Islamic history and Civilization. This includes presenting renewed and in-depth research about Orientalism, studying the interaction between Western culture and the Arab and Islamic world throughout history. Second, to make others understand, meaning we seek to givetrue and actual image of those Western researches and convey our perspectives regarding what they write, the extent of its agreement or disagreement with historical truth, and to clarify the distorted concepts, erroneous theories, and misinformation produced by the West about Arabs and Islam. This is done through diverse and objective academic investigations, and by providing a critical framework that contributes to understanding the complex relationship between the East and the West. We work to build bridges of mutual understanding and scientific analysis to present a more objective and accurate image of Arab and Islamic cultures. Third, to be understood, meaning to make Muslim and Arab researchers understand the trends in Western research and their connection to various Western societies, with all their intellectual and political aspects.
The Vision:
As the Unit for Orientalist Studies is the only specialized research institution in Orientalism, we strive to be a leading scientific beacon in the study and critique of Orientalism and Western writings. This is achieved through producing innovative research and academic resources that contribute to correcting misconceptions and presenting a comprehensive vision of the historical and cultural relations between the East and the West. We aim to become a global reference for reliable academic research in this field, and to contribute to fostering dialogue between cultures and dismantling stereotypical images that hinder mutual understanding between Western researchers and us.
The Goals:
The Unit for Orientalist Studies has strived to embody its vision in a number of goals, which it has sought to achieve over its 14 years of existence:
1.Conducting in-depth academic research in the fields of Orientalism and Western writings about Islam and Arabs, with a focus on the evolution of these writings throughout different eras.
2.Critiquing Orientalist studies and presenting new insights that contribute to a deeper understanding of the relationship between the East and the West, and working to correct misconceptions that distort Arab and Islamic culture.
3.Providing a platform for thinkers and researchers to participate in studies and research aimed at analyzing Orientalism and Western writings, and achieving a qualitative leap in cognitive understanding.
4.Shedding light on the interaction between cultures through research projects that focus on Islamic and Arab heritage in Western literature, arts, philosophy, and sociology.
5.Organizing and preparing international seminars and conferences that bring together researchers from various disciplines to discuss issues related to Orientalism and its impact on Eastern and Western thought.
6.Spreading awareness and educating future generations about the importance of scientific critique and objective analysis of Orientalist writings, and offering educational workshops and cultural events for the academic community and the general public.
7.Establishing a network of international cooperation with universities and research institutions in the West and East to deepen cultural dialogue and enhance mutual understanding.