Conciliar Orientalism: Father Quiles and the creation of the School of Oriental Studies of the University of El Salvador

• Main Authors: María Del Pilar Alvarez, Pablo Forni
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: El Colegio de México, A.C. 2018-04-01
• Series: Estudios de Asia y África
• Subjects: Concilio Vaticano II; Quiles; estudios orientales; jesuitas; orientalismo
• Online Access: http://estudiosdeasiayafrica.colmex.mx/index.php/eaa/article/view/2408

The “Orient” as a field of study arrived late to the Latin American academy in general and to Argentina in particular. During the sixties, in the context of what was categorized as a Major Project for intercultural dialogue by unesco, several universities in the region got involved in the institutional creation of programs on oriental studies. Thanks to the labor of Father I. Quiles, the University del Salvador in Buenos Aires created an undergraduate program in oriental studies—the only one that still remains. The present article examines the initial stage of the School of Oriental Studies and examines the way the conception of Orient was reflected in its first study programs. The analysis concludes that a fundamental and distinguishing element in Quiles’ project was the realization of interreligious dialogue as formulated by the Second Vatican Council.