Beyond Orientalism

“Beyond Orientalism: Sir William Jones (1746-1794), A Journey of Understanding” reconfigures our understanding of Orientalism, the formation of British Romanticism, colonialism, and late eighteenth-century British India. This volume examines the enduring legacy of Sir William Jones, a seminal figure in the intellectual exchange between East and West during the Enlightenment.

Through a rigorous analysis of Jones’s translations, annotations, and original compositions, the book elucidates his profound engagement with Persian and Sufi literature, his pivotal role in the founding of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, and his endeavours to integrate Eastern mystical and philosophical traditions into Western thought. By investigating his contributions to legal reform in colonial India and his comparative studies of Oriental and Occidental mysticism, this work foregrounds Jones’s commitment to cultural pluralism and intellectual exchange. It situates him not merely as a scholar, but as a cultural mediator whose influence continues to shape contemporary discourse on cross-cultural understanding and the universal pursuit of knowledge and justice.