ABSTRACT
Edward Said introduced the notion of Orientalism a couple of decades ago. Said's book gained a wide recognition in the world of academia and beyond, and defined a new notion of orientalism. Although Said's Orientalism was confronted by numerous critiques and triggered several debates in which many of Said's assertions have been challenged, the basic thesis of the book has been widely recognized. One of the crucial differences between East Central Europe and Said's and other orientalist's Orient is the ambiguity of the relationship towards Europe, which both regions have. While the old Orient was clearly separated from Europe and defined as fundamentally different, East Central Europe's position is always unclear. It is constantly on the margins, on the verge of Europe. Maria Todorova contrasted Said's Orientalism model based on the rule of binary opposition to discourses about the Balkans and their supposed ambiguity. Such a situation offers simultaneously advantages and disadvantages.
