Ornamentalism

By Anne Anlin Cheng,

Book cover of Ornamentalism

Book description

Focusing on the cultural and philosophic conflation between the "oriental" and the "ornamental," Ornamentalism offers an original and sustained theory about Asiatic femininity in western culture. This study pushes our vocabulary about the woman of color past the usual platitudes about objectification and past the critique of Orientalism in order…


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Why read it?

1 author picked Ornamentalism as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Ornamentalism is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the conditions of Asian American womanhood and the pervasiveness of the China doll stereotype. While this is a dense read, Anne Anlin Cheng's analysis is incredibly astute and the specific examples she delves into are quite fascinating.

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