Midnight's Children Festival Events: "A Dialogue with Edward Said"

"A Dialogue with Edward Said" March 5, 2003
Midnights Children Festival Events
Moderated by Akeel Bilgrami
JUMP TO:
(0:00) Intro of Segment and Akeel Bilgrami, moderator.
(2:29) Trajectory of Salman Rushdie's writing
(11:47) What was the impact of "Midnight's Children" on writers in the middle east?
(15:18) Does "Midnight's Children" accurately capture the legacy of colonial rule in India?
(17:30) Were the hopes of ex-colonized people ever really redeemed with the coming of independence?
(21:04) Rushdie's book "Shame" emphasizes tremendous corruption among leaders in the context of being colonized, who true does that ring for you?
(26:14) The importance in Rushdie's work of having a genuine understanding of history
(29:41) Forcastings and interplay between "Satanic Verses" and "Midnight's Children"
(32:37) Rushdie seems to be saying that there is something tyrannical about fundamentalist Islam that must be fought, even with a war if
necessary.
(37:28) Yet most muslims aren't like that. Still they find it difficult to openly and strongly criticize the fundamentalists in their midst even
then they oppose them. How can these people gain the confidence to do that? Don't Rushdie's stances make this more difficult?
(45:39) How should we think and live with hope in the face of such gross and powerful mis-representation in the world politically?
(52:39) Audience Questions: What are your views and Rushdie's views about how Kashmir ought to be handled going forward?
(54:30) Please elaborate on Richard Perle's advisement of Netanyahu about new policies in 1996.
(1:02:11) What influence have Rushdie's writings had on people in places where colonialism is further in the past?
(1:07:30) Has any of Rushdie's work been translated into any of the Indian languages or Arabic?
(1:09:18) Does the fact that Rushdie has a somewhat distanced relationship form experiencing the kind of multiculturalism that he's advocating
make it easier for him to take that position?
(1:13:13) Rushdie's view that Islam has been captured by the worst elements of dogmatism and fanaticism.
(1:19:56) How would you say that Rushdie continues the tradition set forth by Gabriel Garcia Marquez of magical realism and national allegory?
(1:22:26) What do you see as the further of Islam in the west in the post 9/11 and how can muslims proliferate a progressive division of Islam that
respects human rights and a culture of democracy in the muslim world?

[@ramdularsingh1435]

A brilliant discussion between the two great minds ! It's worth watching and enjoying. I came to love it and still feel like repeating the same.

[@Altruismisreal27]

Edward Said is a genius.

[@mohamadkebbewar6827]

Definitely very charming and talented.

[@shirobedabo]

More or less

[@ramdularsingh1435]

Midnight's Children is no doubt an epic classic of the last century !: All you have to do is to read the novel with a little knowledge of the Indian subcontinent to get convinced. It's a story of roughly 60 years of Indian history. The language is like a gifted genius and many other things to love the work.....

[@Free7ZipDownload]

Great video!

[@DrNaz-br9cj]

What a wonderful phenomenon!

[@3ntra]

amazing

[@MultiYOSEEF]

اسال الله ان يرحمك

[@zhouystr]

akeel bilgrami

[@anuradhainamdar8967]

What! Only three comments, don't Arabs follow one if their greatest intellectual. When he says that we will have to define what is fundamental attitude he is correct,because now there is a fundamental government in a democracy in U.S itself, and also a fundamental government in India, who is on a spree of searching for its roots ,because it hasn't still found it, and as long it doesn't become a all inclusive secular govt not antithetical to Darwinism, it shall never know its source of origin.

[@hmidatomar2014]

Hi. Let me introduce you to a simple fact: ARABS SPEAK ARABIC! you orientalist.

[@anuradhainamdar8967]

@@hmidatomar2014 I am a master in English literature, and with me there were many Arabs in Nagpur University, India. They gave examination in English and were quite well conversed in English. And this 1989- 91. So it's possible you are still ensconced in your small little world. Also Arabic is one of the recognised languages in the UN.This is so that the Arabic world should make it a point to be able to learn both their language as well as English.

[@anuradhainamdar8967]

@@hmidatomar2014 Another point I still have yo read Edward Said non- fiction " Orientalism and Occidentalism" ,you also are a Oriental.Sir Rudyard Kipling could have said " the east is east and the west is west ,and the twain shall never meet" you are sorly mistaken . Also the Persian gave India it's name "Hindustan" but Dr. Shashi Tharoor says that the Arabs were so impressed by India that it gave it a Arabic name " al Hind" and many Arabs called their daughters al- hind because of India 's beauty. ( Read his Pax Indica ". Ha,ha,ha. As for modern history during 2 world war it was General Bernard Montgomery,who won the final victory over the desert fox General Rommel of Germany at al - Alamein. Also before that it was a British liaison officer T.E. Lawrence who really appreciated the Arabs.Look up Google to find who he was ,his books, and biographies on him. The wonderful movie " Lawrence of Arabia " was made in Hollywood itself. It is politics that is interfering in humanity.

[@anuradhainamdar8967]

@@hmidatomar2014 Forgot to mention that in " Lawrence of Arabia " king Faisal is played by Omar Sharif ha,ha,ha, and T.E. Lawrence by Alec McGuinness

[@anuradhainamdar8967]

@@hmidatomar2014 The rainy season in India which lasts for four months are called " Monsoon" and Mr Omar Monsoon word is derived from the Arabic word " Mausim", there are many Arabic which have been anglicised and used by British in India and its other colonies. The Arabian sea is so called because Arabian sailors and traders used to trade with the Indian subcontinent and further eastern countries by keeping a check on the trade winds that flow over the Arabian sea. Similarly the huge water body that covers the Indian subcontinent, Sri Lanka, Indonesia,Singapore, Malaysia is called Indian Ocean.

[@marinaurbach8462]

Akeel Bilgrami