Edward Said, 1935-2003

Edward Said, as you might have heard, passed away today at the age of 67. He was one of the most eloquent and tireless voices in support of the Palestinian plight, and few scholars have had as much of an impact on the humanities as he over the course of his career. Of particular note, one is hard-pressed to find a book of more significance over the past 30 years than Said's 1978 tome, Orientalism. It reshaped the conceptual understanding of the relationship between power and culture in nearly every field in the social sciences.

Alex Cockburn has penned a fitting tribute to his friend. The Electronic Intifada offers a concise obituary and a thoughtful piece by Nigel Parry about how Said's work served as an inspiration for the extraordinary levels of internet activism related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Additionally, several of Said's articles are available from The Nation. The Edward Said Archive also has collated most of his recent articles that appear in some form on the web.