Edward Said – Imprint: Writer in Profile

In this episode, cultural critic Edward Said describes himself as ‘a writer for occasion’ – caught between journalism and being a ‘long distance runner’. Said discusses his upbringing; his status as a Palestinian intellectual; his  de-mystification of (particularly American) imperialism; and his positive response to criticism. Theo Dorgan questions him about his memoir Out of Place and Said explores the various political perspective people have projected on him, accusations of ‘terrorism’ and his views on the politics of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Imprint, a literature review programme, and its sister show Imprint: Writer in Profile screened on RTÉ1 for three seasons. Both were presented by Irish poet, writer and lecturer Theo Dorgan. Over the course of the Writer in Profile series Dorgan conducted extended, in-depth interviews with a wide range of Irish and international writers including Colm Tóibín, Bernard MacLaverty, Jennifer Johnston, Joseph O’Connor, Michael Longley, Doris Lessing, John Montague, Eavan Boland, Gore Vidal, Richard Ford and Margaret Atwood. This episode is part of The Loopline Collection Volume 1. To watch more of the collection click here.