A perfect example of modern day orientalist mentality at play is illustrated by Francescar Borri's investigative journalism. She wrote a book about the rise of extremism in Maldives and titled it Destination Paradise - cue catchy exotic language.
Unfortunately for Borri's investigation was polluted by her incredibly White gaze that just refused to let her see anything that countered her narrative of the native, underdeveloped, island peoples.
Fortunately for Maldivians, there were plenty of extremely well-aware, articulate and active writers and bloggers who made sure her pollution did not go unnoticed.
Still her 'fictional' piece of writing is for sale online, and she continues to live within her privileged white bubble - forever the "victim" of being called out by the "Orient".
Read more:
Destination Paradise - Among the Lies of Francesca Borri - Edition.Mv, Sept, 2019 https://edition.mv/opinion/8988
Maldives Twitter vs Francesca Borri, Hani Amir, Jan 2019
A Review of Destination Paradise - European Eye on Radicalisation, Dec 2018 (yep it reads the way you imagine it would read)
Borri's Facebook post - (summary: "I was just doing my job, those people are being mean to me, sorry, not sorry.")
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