Speaking Truth To Power

Edward Said is a person with great influence in academia, who is widelyknown as the famous critic, political commentator, and literary and cultural theoristin the contemporary world. But people often easily ignore the fact that among Said’svarious social identities, a responsible public intellectual is the most essential one,and we can fully understand his massive works and public performances only whenwe grasp his view of intellectuals. This thesis attempts to comprehensivelydemonstrate that Said is not only a prominent intellectual theorist, but moreimportantly, a committed intellectual through examining Said’s view of the role ofintellectuals.This thesis is composed of five parts. The first part is a brief introduction to theargument, the relevant literature review, the new perspectives, the significance, andthe structure of this thesis. The second part is the first chapter: intellectuals shouldadopt the role of exile. Through analyzing Said’s special cultural identity and theempowering potentialities of exile, the author tries to explain why Said has aparticular interest in the notion of exile, which includes the actual exile and themetaphorical sense. The third part is the second chapter: intellectuals should take therole of conscientious amateur. Through analyzing the evolving roles of intellectuals,the pressures of professionalism, the collusion between professionalism and theacademic institution, and Said’s multiple amateur identities, the author tries toexplain why Said characterizes the role of intellectuals as conscientious amateur. Thefourth part is the third chapter: the ultimate role of intellectuals should be someonewho dares to speak truth to power. Revolving around the thread of how intellectualsspeak truth, what truth, for whom and where, the author tries to demonstrate that Saidis a responsible and committed intellectual. The last part is the conclusion, whichsums up the great significance of Said on intellectuals and Said as an intellectual.