Edward Said: Palestinian-American professor (1935–2003)

He came up with the theory of Orientalism (1978) and wrote the book Culture and Imperialism (1993).

Said was born on 1 November 1935, son of Hilda Said and Wadie Said. He was born during the time the British ruled over Palestine. He was raised as a Christian Palestinian, though he would later become agnostic. He was trained as a pianist, though this was not the main focus of his career.

Said attended St George's School, which is a British boys' school in East Jerusalem. He would later study in Victoria College, Alexandria, before moving to the United States. He graduated from Princeton University in 1957. He completed his master's degree and PhD at Harvard University.

Said published Orientalism in 1978. He published Culture and Imperialism in 1993. He was a leading founder of a field of academic study known as Postcolonial Studies.

Said died on 24 September 2003. The cause of his death was leukaemia.