This essay examines Edward Said’s philosophy of intellectual life and what an intellectual vocation entails. Said’s major contribution, Orientalism, is discussed in light of his own concept of «traveling theory» and its impact on various disciplines, especially postcolonial studies. Said’s views on Palestine and the Palestinians are also elaborated and contextualized in his own oeuvre, especially his notion of beginnings. The essay also discusses Said’s relationship to the visual arts and ends with a discussion of Said’s interest in musical performance, concluding with an attempt to read his work «musically», showing how all his interests are part of a larger whole that constitutes his intellectual legacy.
Edward Said, Orientalism, Palestine.