 Said 's academic friends and foes acknowledged the transformative influence of Orientalism upon scholarship in the humanities ; critics argued that the thesis is an intellectually limiting influence upon scholars , whilst supporters said the thesis is intellectually liberating . The fields of post @-@ colonial and cultural studies attempt to explain the " post @-@ colonial world , its peoples , and their discontents " ; for this , the investigational validity and analytical efficacy of the propositions in Orientalism continue to resonate , especially in the field of Middle Eastern studies . 
