Final answer:
Edward Said's book titled 'Orientalism' explores the theme of the Western discourse on Asia and the Middle East. Said critically analyzes Western stereotypes that portray these societies as irrational and exotic, contrasting them unfavorably with the 'rational' West, thus influencing the discourse about these regions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Edward Said's Orientalism and its Relevance to Discourse
The title of Edward Said's book that examines the discourse surrounding Asia and the Middle East is Orientalism. In this seminal work, Said delves into the concept of Orientalism, which he defines as the West’s patronizing representations of ‘The East’ — the societies and people who inhabit the places of Asia, North Africa, and the Middle East. Said's Orientalism critiques these stereotypical and essentialist views propagated by the West which depict these regions through a lens of irrationality, fanaticism, and sensuality, thereby sustaining a discourse of superiority and otherness.
Edward Said's critique is deeply concerned with literature and the role it plays in reinforcing perspectives steeped in colonialism and imperialism. The term orientalism itself has become a key concept within postcolonial studies, signifying the fabricated distinctions between the so-called rational, moral West and the irrational, despotic East. Said posits that these representations support and justify Western hegemony, shaping the discourse around non-Western societies in a way that undermines their autonomy and complexity.