Said begins by explaining the project of the book. A sequel to his seminal 1978 work of criticism entitled Orientalism, Culture and Imperialism promises to expand on ideas of how imperialism works to create cultural narratives, form disparate identities, and shape objects of artistic production—namely novels. He also argues that alongside imperialism one always finds resistance to it—that is, there are two ideological factors existing simultaneously: “a general world-wide pattern of imperial culture, and a historical experience of resistance against empire” (xii). He sees his critical readings of novels as part of that resistance against the imperial forces which shaped them.

He then defines what he means by “culture” in two specific respects: first, culture is “those practices, like the arts of description, communication, and representation, that have relative autonomy from the economic, social, and political realms [...] one of whose principal aims is pleasure” (xii). This includes the novel. Second, culture is “a concept that includes a refining and elevating element, each society’s reservoir of the best that has been known and thought” (xiii). In this way, culture becomes the backdrop upon which identities—personal, national, historical—are formed. In his criticism, Said will interpret classic works of culture, specifically novels, through the lens of imperialism and how it has influenced national narratives and artistic expression.