Introduction: The Strange Disjunction

This introductory chapter outlines the themes informing this study of Edward Said. The Arabic term nafssiya is canvassed as a conceptual configuration by which to approach Said’s personal dimension, which is explained in respect of his interest in his life experience as a component of his capacity for critical scholarship. While outlining nafssiya as an intersection of historical processes and personal disposition, a claim is made for the phenomenological dimensions of Said’s oeuvre, related to experiences of colonialism and racism. Autobiography and memoir are discussed in respect of social conditions of livelihood.