Orientalism is a concept by Palestinian-American scholar Edward Said, who, drawing from Michel Foucault's critique of 'discourse', developed the notion that colonial powers disseminated in their colonies a Eurocentric discourse that everything in case of "Occident", which is the 'self', is normal and pre-eminent and even superior or advanced but in case of the "Orient" everything is inferior, antique and exotic, as per the representation of the authors belonging to the colonial and imperialist powers. The terms "Orient" and "Occident" mean countries of the East and the West respectively, during colonial times in its original sense.
The concept of Orientalism is taught in Political Science and History under 'approaches to history/political concepts like nationalism'. Edward Said talked of Orientalism as a "cultural imperialism" and in its later usage the term is widely used to connote cultural imperialism not just in "the Orient" but anywhere in the world.
An example of this view is that British colonial authors saw India as a spiritual, religious and transcendental place which is the 'other' of British/European 'self' which is empirical, based on realities and facts. Lord Cornwallis had profound interest in Indian past. The view of Orientalists was rejected by the Utilitarians like James Mill, who outright deemed the past of India as backward and stagnant. For them it shall be the British who could bring out the subcontinent from the stagnation and backwardness.