persatuan sains sosial malaysia

THE 8th INTERNATIONAL MALAYSIAN STUDIES CONFERENCE (MSC8)

2012-07-08T17:13:00.000+08:00

TRANSITION AND TRANSFORMATION:

STATE, MARKET AND CULTURE IN A PERIOD OF RAPID CHANGE

Date: 9 - 11 July 2012 (Monday - Wednesday)

Venue: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONVENORS

Persatuan Sains Sosial Malaysia (Malaysian SocialScience Association – PSSM) will be co-organizing with UKM’s Faculty of SocialSciences and Humanities (FSSK) in cooperation with the Institute of EthnicStudies (KITA) and the Institute of Occidental Studies (IKON), the 8^thInternational Malaysian Studies Conference (MSC8) from 9-11 July, 2012 atUniversiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Bangi, Malaysia. The theme of MSC8 is“Transition and Transformation: State, Market and Culture in a Period of RapidChange”.

OBJECTIVES

· To bring together scholars, both Malaysians andMalaysianists, for the purpose of scholarly exchange and interaction based ontheir research findings and reflections on Malaysia.

· To analyse issues and problems relating tocontemporary Malaysia, andto compare the Malaysian experience with that of various countries in theworld, especially that of Malaysia’sneighbours.

· To examine the state of Malaysian studies and to suggestways for its advancement.

SUB-THEMES

Papers can be submitted on, though not necessarily limited to, thefollowing sub-themes:

Civil and uncivil Malaysian societies
Contemporary issues on the state of Malaysian human rights
Contestations, youth and popular culture
Critical issues in geography, human development and the environment
Cyberspace and the new social media
Democracy and elections in Malaysia
Economic development, poverty and social inequality
Education, national development and transformation
Gender, sexuality and social transformation
Globalisation, international trade and foreign direct investment
Good governance, the political system, and the public sector
Identity, religion, multiculturalism and the nation-state
Indigenous and marginalised communities
Media, culture and society
Political developments, regionalism and international relations
Health, security, subsidies and quality of life
Resistance, accommodation and labour politics
Law and society
Revisiting literature, language and history
The global economic crisis & its political, economic and social impacts
The role of social science knowledge in the context of critical transition

PANEL PROPOSALS

There are three differentchannels of paper presentation:

Institutional panels – organised by institutions such as research institutes and faculties. Such panels will bear the institution’s name, and in return, the institution has to pay an institutional registration fee of RM500 (over and above the registration fee for each individual paper presenter)

Thematic panels – organised by convenors on selected themes. The convenor is responsible for deciding on the theme and organising the presenters.
Individual panels – These are panels consisting of individual paper presenters are welcome to contribute.

CAPACITY BUILDING FOR YOUNG SOCIAL SCIENCESCHOLARS

TheMSC8 Organising Committee recognises the importance of capability and capacitybuilding for young social science scholars (defined as candidates undertakingMaster and PhD degrees and new postdoctoral holders who have yet to publishextensively). The Committee will set aside a number of panels for theirpresentations, and will invite senior scholars to be facilitators and commenton their papers.

SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACTS

Those intending to presentpapers at MSC8

a. Must submit an extendedabstract proposal of 500-600 words to the MSC8 Secretariat, latest by 15 January 2012.

b. The Committee will vet theabstract and inform the writer of its status by 15 February 2012.

c. Soft copies of the fullwritten papers (4000-6000 words maximum) must be submitted latest by 30April 2012.

d. Only papers selected by thecommittee base on vetting process will be compiled by the MSC8 organisers intoa refereed proceedings. Papers notselected for the proceedings can still be presented at the conference.

e. Those who plan to organiseinstitutional or thematic panels must submit their panel abstracts of 500-600words by the same date (15 January). Individual paper abstracts must besubmitted together with panel abstracts. The length of the paper abstracts will also be 500-600 words.

The Organising Committee reservesthe right to accept or reject any panel or paper proposal, and to proceed withor call off any panel due to unforeseen circumstances. Only those with full papers will beallowed to make presentations at the Conference. PowerPoint notes are not consideredas papers.

Roundtables or forums onselected topics that need not necessarily have written papers can only beorganised by the MSC8 Organising Committee.

REGISTRATION FEE

i. Participantsfrom & in Malaysia(including foreign scholars in Malaysia)

PSSM members - RM400

Non-members - RM500

PSSM student members - RM250

Students (non-members) - RM300

ii. Participantsfrom abroad

PSSM members - USD250

Non-members - USD300

Students (members) - USD150

Students (non-members) - USD200

AllConference participants, including paper presenters, must pay the registrationfee.

Registrationfees for individuals and panels will have to be paid when submitting the fullpapers. The latest date of paymentwill be 30 April 2012 together with the submission of the full papers.Participants whose fees are being paid by their institutions must produce theinstitution’s letter of undertaking (or invoice) by the same date.

Onlythose who have paid their fees by that date will have their abstracts printedin the programme book and listed in the conference programme and their paperscompiled in the refereed proceedings.

MODES OF PAYMENT

Thosein Malaysiacan make their payment in Malaysian ringgit by bank draft, money order orpostal order (NOTE: NO PERSONAL CHEQUES), payable to Persatuan Sains SosialMalaysia at the addressbelow. Alternatively they can depositthe sum directly into the Association’s bank account (see below), scan andemail to msc8.2012@gmail.comor fax the receipt to the Association (Fax no: 603-79675149) with their name andMSC8 printed on it, and bring the original receipt to the Conference as proofof payment.

Participantswho reside overseas can transmit their payment in US dollars directly into theAssociation’s bank account, scan and email or fax the receipt to theAssociation with their name and MSC8 printed on it. The payer, however, must bear any bank charges incurred in thetransaction and must bring the original receipt to the Conference as proof ofpayment.

TheMSC8 Organising Committee also encourages ordinary participants, i.e. non-paperpresenters. The registration fee is the same. However, they can pay theirregistration fee latest by 31 May2012. Only under exceptional circumstances will the Conference acceptwalk-in participants.

ALL REGISTRATION FEES ARE NOT REFUNDABLE.

Name of Payee: Persatuan Sains Sosial Malaysia (PSSM)

Name of Bank: Commerce International Malaysia Berhad (CIMB)

Universiti Malaya Branch, Jalan Pantai Baru, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Account Number: 1440-0005156-05-6

Swift Code: CIBBMYKL

MSC8 PARTICIPATIONREQUIREMENTS

Those who have committed themselves to participate in MSC8 as paperpresenters or ordinary participants but fail to turn up at the Conferencewithout valid reasons and without informing the Committee in good time will bebarred from participating in MSC9. Thisrequirement is to enhance the integrity of MSCs.

ACCOMMODATION

There are many hotels inand around UKM in Bangi such as Equatorial Hotel, Metro Inn Kajang, OrientalCrystal, and smaller hotels. The Secretariat, however, is not responsible forhotel bookings or any other accommodation arrangements.

ENQUIRIES

All enquiries regardingMSC8 and submission of abstracts should be sent to the MSC8 Secretariat at msc8.2012@gmail.com.

Postal Address:

Persatuan Sains SosialMalaysia (PSSM)

P.O. Box 104, Pejabat PosKajang

43007 Kajang, Selangor,Malaysia

Enquiries aboutmembership can be sent to Executive Secretary, Malaysian Social ScienceAssociation: Email:pssmmalaysia@yahoo.com; Tel : +6012 - 9161 480; Fax : 603-79675149.

FORM MSC8

REGISTRATION FORM FOR MSC8

2012-01-12T13:37:00.000+08:00

Please fill in the form clearly. Thank you.

REFLECTIONS ON TRANSNATIONALISM: IDEALS AND REALITIES

2011-10-25T12:46:00.003+08:00

The theme of the 19^th AASSREC Biennial General Conference, Evolving Transnationalism: Challenges and Opportunites,held on 17-18 October 2011 appeared vaguely clear to me when I first heard it.I must confess that I was not clear as to what the term or concept“Transnationalism” referred to. So whenI went to the Conference on behalf of PSSM together with Prof Rahman Embong andDr Sity Daud (the paper writers), this time held in Manado, North Sulawesi inIndonesia, I was eager to learn what it was all about and to listen to theviews of the speakers. Thus the title of the Conference, despite its soundinglike a ‘SWOT analysis’ topic [SWOT: Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat],beckons me to engage in the Conference.

The AASSREC Conference wasconvened with the following expressed objectives, namely:

To seek a common understanding of transnationalissues across different countries as well as among different fields of socialscientists and policy-makers.
To exchange experiences and knowledge about thechallenges and opportunities of transnationalism from a social scienceperspective, especially with regard to the Asia-Pacific
To promote international networking and toestablish an understanding of similarities and differences in the direction oftransnationalism in the Asia Pacific regions.
To provide knowledge and policy-relevant advicewith the many and complex contemporary issues of transnationalism.
Though I think that the statementof policy objectives could have done with a bit of editing, the message seemsto be clear enough to me.

I have heard ofthe terms “multinationalism” and “internationalism”, and am fairly sure as towhat they meant, but “transnationalism”? It reminded me of the word “transdisciplinarity” which is now in vogue,and which supposedly is a more progressive concept that either“multidisciplinarity” or “inter-disciplinarity”. Could ‘transnationalism’ be like that too?That is, a more ‘progressive’ concept in dealing with the subject of‘nation-states’? I was not sure whether the term is used in a normative ordescriptive sense, that is whether it is used to describe a set of phenomena orprocesses, or whether it is a goal which human societies should aim at. As mycuriosity (and anxiety) grew larger, I assiduously sat through the two dayConference; listening to the presentations, taking notes, and talking topeople. My efforts did not go unrewarded as I emerged from it not only with abetter understanding of what “transnationalism” meant, but also with someknowledge as to what is happening in the Asian region with respect to relationsof people between and across national boundaries or nation-states. TheMalaysian country paper by Prof. Rahman Embong and Dr Sity Daud which deals in some detail the contestednature of the concept of transnationalism has been helpful in putting thedebate in perspective. I begin to see the problem or issue not only in terms ofthe ‘masculine’ notions of ‘International Relations’, ‘Political Science’,‘Migrant Labour’, ‘Diaspora Studies’ or even the so-called ‘Brain Drain’, butmore importantly, in terms of its human aspects, namely interactions acrossnational borders as well as identity reconfiguration. But I must confess that Iwas initially jolted by the opening remarks made by Dr John Beaton, theSecretary-General of AASSREC and an historian-archeologist by training, when hesaid that ‘transnationalism is not a new phenomenon but had taken place since about50,000 years ago’, through human migration across continents. But I was quickly re-assured by Prof NeilSmith, when in his keynote address he made a distinction between migration andtransnationalism, and pointed out that the rise of nation-states occurred onlyin the last 100 or 150 years or so. Thismeans, as Prof Rahman Embong whispered to me during that first day morningsession, that the phenomenon of transnationalism is of recent vintage, anoutcome and a consequence as it were of the rise of nation-states, and lately precipitatedby forces of globalization.

In his welcomingspeech the Governor of North Sulawesi, the versatile and multi-talented DrSinyo H. Sarundajang (who is also thePresident of the Indonesian Political Science Association) mentioned that it isnatural for human beings to have the desire to seek a better life, and to gofor greener pastures by migrating across national boundaries. We were also informed by the keynote speakers,Prof Neil Smith and Prof. Dr Dewi Fortuna Anwar that the phenomena of the‘nation-state’ is fairly new in human history, perhaps occurring during thelast few centuries or so. Previously, there were nations and there were states,but no nation-states. But now, we cannot but exist as a member or citizen of a‘nation-state’. To be ‘stateless’ is tobe legally non-existent, and hence to be deprived of one’s full humanity. This is the irony of modernity. The nation-state, as Ernest Gellnerperceptively observed, is a result of increasing rationalization of humansocieties, which itself defines modernity, according to some sociologists. But even the nation-state—never mind thosehighly structured industrial societies—has turned into Weber’s ‘iron cage’,both by virtue of inclusion and exclusion. The rationale of the nation-state, alluded to by Dewi Fortuna, is toprotect its citizens and provide for their welfare in exchange for loyalty andcontribution or service to the state. But when states fail, or become too powerful, the social contractbetween the individual and the state is thrown into question. In trying to pursue their own dreams,individuals migrate despite the state. But in so doing, they realize the mighty power of the nation-state, andwhat it means to be stateless. Thusstructure and agency collided in the phenomena of transmigration. Agency seeks individual emancipation, butruns against the wall of structure. ButDarwinian logic can be seen operating here too; the skilled workers with theirknowledge, skill and experience is able to benefit from the international divisionof labour, that knows no boundary except expertise and meritocracy. As for the unskilled worker, migration is agamble in which the weak will perish. The stories which were told during the two day Conference, involvingcountries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma, Bangladesh, Japan,South Korea, Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, and China, made this abundantlyclear. To wish for ‘global citizenship’is a dream in an era still dominated by the notion of the nation-state andneoliberal globalization which enhances inequalities. Even international bodiessuch as the United Nations, can only act as ‘mediating bodies’ to alleviatehuman suffering caused by ‘cross-border’ problems.

The notion of‘transnationalism’ only presents an illusion of progressiveness, when in truthit is driven by neo-liberal capitalist economic development—a point drove homeby Neil Smith. Transnationalism, in theform of ‘economic transnationlism’, is an outcome of the growth ofMulti-National and Transnational Corporations, whose system of production spansthe entire globe in search of lower costs and higher profits. The international movement of labour andcapital brought about by the growth of such huge companies, made economistssuch as Kenichi Ohmae think that the nation-state is already an obsoleteentity, since it obstructs such free flows and impedes capitalist economicdevelopment which is based on free trade. Ironically, the nation-state is here seen as a bulwark againstexploitative economics. But in protecting its citizens, it takes a narrow viewof humanity and reifies or essentializes nationalistic categories. Politicalpragmatism often takes precedence over universal humanism or humanidealism. But as Dewi Fortuna remindsus, it is often in the interest of a nation to advance the economic prosperityof its neighbours. It not only increases trade but prevents the mass migrationof people from poor to rich states en masse, which would cause problems.

The paperspresented at the Conference were written as country papers and therefore lookat the issue of transmigration from the perspective of their respectivenations. This mode of presentation isuseful in that it allows for an exchange of information, ideas and insights regardingthe situation facing each nation, which often differ from country to country.For example, countries like Indonesia, Philippines and Bangladesh are ‘netexporters of labour’ either in the form of maids, construction workers,plantation workers, or others. Thus theyoften highlight the problems faced by the migrant worker in host countrieswhich accept them only on the basis of labour, and often oblivious to theirhuman needs and problems. Rich countriessuch as Taiwan, Japan or South Korea, look at the issue from a differentperspective since they are net importers rather than exporters of labour. Thusthey have to deal with issues of assimilation of foreign labour in the hostcountry, or in the case of Taiwan, of marriage between Taiwanese andnon-Taiwanese. The question of‘identity’ often crops up in such issues since nationality has become such animportant identity-marker in the modern period, as opposed to let’s sayeconomic status, race or religion.

Then there arestudies on ‘diaspora’, which again look at the issue in terms of national boundariesand identity. The Malaysian countrypaper , besides highlighting the hugeinflow of at least 2.3 million unskilled foreign migrant workers into thecountry, also highlights the Malaysiandiaspora, numbering some one million according to World Bank estimate. Whilesome of them are students pursuing their studies and many will return home, alarge number of professionals are working and taking up residence abroad,forming part of the Malaysian diaspora, and acquiring ‘transnationalidentities’. Unlike migrant workers, whoare largely on contract and will return home once their contract has expired orno longer renewed, the diasporic population assume permanent residenceabroad. But some of them still retain tiesto their country of origin, thus raising several issues. From the perspectiveof the host country, this raises the issue of loyalty to the nation. From theperspective of the country of origin, it might raise issues of ‘brain drain’and of how those diasporic professionals can contribute to economic growth andsocial development back home. Often harddata and figures are hard to come by, which is why the Malaysian and NewZealand country papers resort to qualitative data such as interviews. Unfortunately, questions of methodology aresometimes raised in connection with qualitative data. As when someone from the Philippines questionthe survey methodology used by Prof. Huang from Taiwan, in which a surveyinvolving college students shows the stereotypical thinking even among theeducated class, on foreign workers such as Filipinos. In that survey, Filipinoswere depicted as not loyal to their spouses, among other things. Although some of these studies reported atthe Conference can be contested—as they sometimes are during the course of the Conference—theynevertheless form a baseline or starting point for further studies on thesubject, which brings me to my next point.

This concernsthe nature and orientation of such studies. Unlike those research in the social sciences which are purely ‘discipline-driven’,studies on transnationalism tend to show a concern for social issues and socialcauses and can perhaps be classified as ‘mission-oriented’ and ‘applied’ insome cases. It shows the relevance of the social sciences to the solving ofhuman and social problems. Also, suchstudies take on a multi-disciplinary character since the issues dealt with inrelation to transnationalism are often multi-dimensional, involving among otherthings dimensions such as the political, the economic, the educational, legal,social, and cultural. Governments are often at a loss in dealing with problemssuch as ‘human trafficking’, ‘migrant smuggling’, ‘illegal immigration’ and ahost of other ‘transnational crimes’. Inthis sense, social scientists can contribute to government efforts bysuggesting policy recommendations based on their theoretical and empirical studies,thus facilitating evidence-based policy making on transnational issues. Andsince academics and social scientists hold an obligation not only to the statebut more so to the world of knowledge and humanity at large, they are in abetter position to influence the course of events in a way which is not‘nation-state centric’. In this regard,we are reminded of the themes of ‘national security versus human security’raised in the Conference. The notion ofhuman security is based more on the idea of justice rather than interests,unlike the notion of national security, and hence more universal in scope andintent. The academic, as suggested inthe exchange between Prof Rahman Embong and Prof Dr Dewi Fortuna, should try tobring in the perspective of human security within the national approach basedon national security and interest. In fact, as proposed by Prof Rahman Embongduring the Q&A session after hispresentation, our strategy should be to push for the mainstreaming of humansecurity and human rights including the respect for cultural and religious beliefsand practices of individuals including migrant workers in policy debates withinand between countries. To what extent this is realistic, remainsdebatable, given that policy makers are always ‘nervous’ when confronted withhuman security and human rights issues as pointed out by Prof Dewi Fortuna. Butat least it points to one thing: the scholar has a responsibility thattranscends national boundaries to speak truth to power and be guided by theprinciple to serve humanity. The scholar has to take that step, and show theway.

PROF. DR. MOHD. HAZIM SHAH

Universityof Malaya

Cum

President,Malaysian Social Science Association

19 October 2011

Manado, North Sulawesi

Capacity Building Workshop 1/2011

2011-04-19T11:43:00.005+08:00

HOTEL PROMENADE, SABAH, 15-17 APRIL 2011

Seperti yang anda ketahui, Bengkel Bina Upaya Untuk Ahli-ahli Sains Sosial Muda (CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP FOR YOUNG SOCIAL SCIENCE SCHOLARS) anjuran PSSM dan penganjur bersama sudah diadakan dengan jayanya di Kota Kinabalu, Sabah pada 15-17 April 2011 (Jumaat-Ahad). Bengkel ini adalah hasil anjuran bersama Sekolah Sains Sosial UMS, Institut Kajian Malaysia & Antarbangsa (IKMAS) UKM, Suruhanjaya Kebangsaan UNESCO Malaysia (SKUM) dan Kementerian Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat.

Pihak PSSM ingin mengucapkan tahniah dan terima kasih kepada semua peserta dan pemerhati bengkel serta kepada semua fasilitator dan penganjur bersama atas kejayaan ini. Kami mengharapkan para peserta akan memperbaiki kertas kerja masing-masing DENGAN SEGERA berpandukan kepada komen dan kritikan dalam bengkel itu.

UNTUK MELIHAT SUASANA BENGKEL, SILA TONTON SLIDE GAMBAR-GAMBAR YANG DISEDIAKAN DI SINI. TERIMA KASIH.

_____________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________
Dr. Ramzah Dambul (bagi peserta dari UMS)
rdambul@gmail.com
cc: pssmalaysia@yahoo.com

Dr Sharifah Zarina Syed Zakaria (bagi peserta luar UMS)
szarina@ukm.my
cc: pssmalaysia@yahoo.com

dan

Faxkan borang penyertaan anda dan slip pembayaran kepada Azie:
03-89261022

CARTA ORGANISASI PSSM

2011-04-15T15:51:00.000+08:00

A DOCUMENTARY FILM & MESY AGONG PSSM

2011-03-29T16:00:00.007+08:00

SEMUA AHLI PSSM

MESYUARAT AGM &TAYANGAN FILEM PENDEK AKAN DIADAKAN PADA:

TARIKH: 8 APRIL 2011 (JUMAAT)

MASA: 8:30am

TEMPAT: AUDITORIUM CRIM, UKM

SEMUA AHLI DIEJEMPUT HADIR.

dan

TAYANG FILEM PENDEK:

TAJUK: "AKU SIAPA"

OLEH: NORHAYATI KAPRAWI

Di tayangkan pada:

8 April 2011 (Jumaat)

9:oo am

Auditorium CRIM, UKM

Sekretariat;

Azie: 012-3872930 / 03-89214169

KATALOG BUKU PSSM:

2011-02-07T13:57:00.019+08:00

Tajuk: Ilmu Masyarakat Jilid 25
Tahun: Julai 1994-Jun 1995
Harga: RM8.00 (Bukan Ahli)
Harga: RM5.00 (Ahli)

Tajuk: Ilmu Masyarakat Jilid 22
Tahun: Julai 1992-Disember 1992
Harga: RM8.00 (Bukan Ahli)
Harga: RM5.00 (Ahli)

Tajuk: Pembahagian Kerja Antarabangsa Industri Semi-Konduktor di Pulau Pinang
Tahun: 1993
Harga: RM8.00 (Bukan Ahli)
Harga: RM5.00 (Ahli)

Tajuk: Women Organising For Change
Tahun: 2001
Harga: RM 20.00 (Bukan Ahli)
Harga: RM 15.00 (Ahli)

Tajuk: Images of Malaysia
Tahun:1991

Harga: RM10.00 (Bukan Ahli)

Harga: RM5.00 (Ahli)

Tajuk: Rethinking Malaysia, Malaysian Studies 1

Tahun: 1999
Harga: RM10.00 (Bukan Ahli)

Harga: RM5.00 (Ahli)

Tajuk: Building Bridges, Crossing Boundaries

Tahun: 2009

Harga: RM 40.00(Bukan Ahli)

Harga: RM 30.00(Ahli)

Tajuk: Social Science & Malaysian National Development

Tahun: 2007

Harga: RM30.00 (Bukan Ahli)

Harga: RM22.00 (Ahli)

Tajuk: Public Policy, Culture & The Impact of Globalisation in Malaysia

Tahun: 2003

Harga: RM30.00 (Bukan Ahli)

Harga: RM22.00 (Ahli)

Tajuk: Representation, Identity & Multiculturalism in Sarawak

Tahun: 2008

Harga: RM40.00 (Bukan Ahli)

Harga: RM30.00 (Ahli)

Tajuk: New Perspective in Malaysian Studies

Tahun: 2002

Harga: RM38.00 (Bukan Ahli)
Harga: RM28.00 (Ahli)

Tajuk: Malaysia Public Policy, Marginalised Groups

Tahun: 2007

Harga: RM20.00 (Bukan Ahli)

Harga: RM15.00 (Ahli)

Tajuk: Rethinking Ethnicity & Nation-Building, Malaysia, Sri Lanka & Fiji

in Conparative Perspective

Tahun: 2007

Harga: RM35.00 (Bukan Ahli)

Harga: RM26.00 (Ahli)

BUKU TERBARU OLEH PROF. EMERITUS DATO' DR. ABDUL RAHMAN EMBONG

2011-01-06T17:03:00.002+08:00

Tajuk:
MALAYSIAN STUDIES:
Looking back, moving forward

CONTENTS:

PART I:
Presidential Addresses at the Opening of
The International Malaysian Studies Conference
(MSC3 to MSC7)

PART II:
Other Speeches

PART III:
Public Statements, Press Release and Memorandum

PART IV:
Related Essays and Interviews

Harga / Price:
RM 30.00 (Bukan ahli PSSM)
RM 20.00 (Ahli PSSM)

PEACE AND RAPPROCHEMENT OR VIOLENCE AND CONFLICT?

2010-10-28T16:13:00.003+08:00

by: Chandra Muzaffar

Keynote Address at the UNESCO Regional Dialogue on Peace and Security in Asia and the Pacific on the theme “The Rapprochement of Cultures” 21-22 September 2010 in Kuala Lumpur.

The International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World (2001-2010) comes to an end this year. As a culmination to the decade, 2010 has been proclaimed as the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures. It also marks the beginning of a new strategy that gives increased importance to the fostering of cultural diversity and dialogue.

Peace; Rapprochement

The curtain raiser for the Decade was UNESCO’s Year for the Culture of Peace (2000). The highlight of the Year for the Culture of Peace was the Manifesto 2000. The Manifesto, prepared by Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, was presented to the President of the UN General Assembly in the last quarter of 2000. At “the time of presentation to the General Assembly, 60 million people had signed and committed themselves to the principles of peace and non-violence that the Manifesto espouses.”[1]

During the Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence, numerous seminars and workshops have been organized in different parts of the world on the theme. Schools and universities have also played their part. Since the Decade is dedicated to the children of the world, some of the activities have concentrated upon their interests and aspirations.

The International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures (IYRC) seeks “to demonstrate the benefits of cultural diversity by acknowledging the importance of the constant transfers and exchanges between cultures and the ties forged between them since the dawn of humanity.”[2] Towards this end, the IYRC has identified four major themes that constitute in essence its new strategy. They are i) “promoting reciprocal knowledge of cultural, ethnic, linguistic and religious diversity; ii) building a framework for commonly shared values; iii) strengthening quality education and the building of intercultural competences; iv) fostering dialogue for sustainable development.” [3]

UNESCO and some member states of the UN have already, or, are in the process of implementing specific activities in the name of the IYRC. Fairs and festivals, exhibitions and conferences have been held. In some of these, emphasis was given to the adoption of an integrated vision of the cultural heritage of a community. At the same time, the importance of inter-cultural dialogue, which includes inter-religious dialogue, continues to be highlighted. The IYRC has also witnessed attempts to change negative perceptions of the culture or religion of the other through the Internet. Even traditional knowledge and indigenous knowledge systems, which have contributed to sustainable development, have received some attention.

Impact

What has been the impact of the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence and the IYRC, especially upon Asia and its people? It is irrefutably true that only small coteries are aware of the Decade and the IYRC and what they stand for. The vast majority of people in Asia and the rest of the world would not have heard of these noble ideas. It was perhaps only the Year of the Culture of Peace and Manifesto 2000 in particular which preceded the Decade that went beyond a miniscule fraction of the population. 24.8 million Indians for instance signed the Manifesto.[4] Nonetheless, for most Indians the year 2000 or the Decade or the IYRC mean very little.

Why is this so? Some of the answers seem obvious. To start with, an idea or a concept such as the Decade of Peace or the Year of the Rapprochement of Cultures does not embody that intrinsic element that would attract millions of people to it. It is not an international football tournament like the World Cup, which because of what it represents--- a sport, personalities, skills, competition---- draws a mammoth response from people everywhere. Nor is a UN initiated declaration on behalf of a universal value such as peace akin to say a national campaign to eradicate polio which because it has immediate relevance to the well-being of the individual and his family elicits support from the masses with minimum effort. What this means is that one should not expect the Decade or the IYRC to capture the popular imagination the way in which certain other events and activities do.

But even if we viewed the Decade and the IYRC within their own modest perimeters, public knowledge and endorsement of these efforts has been somewhat disappointing. This is partly because the media in Asia--- newspapers, radio, television --- have given scant attention to the Decade and the IYRC. Cyber-media have also not focused on these UN-UNESCO endeavours. Once in a long, long while an article may appear in a newspaper about the Decade or a news item on the IYRC may be featured in a radio programme. From the editor’s standpoint, these are not newsworthy projects deserving of wide publicity. In the Malaysian context, I cannot think of a single media outlet that has accorded prominence to either the Decade or the IYRC. And yet eight months of 2010 have passed by, and very soon both the Decade and the IYRC will come to an end.

Governments in the Asian continent have also not been as supportive as they should be of these endeavours. Even in societies where cultural- cum-religious issues dominate politics, leaders in government and the opposition seldom make any reference to the Decade or to the IYRC. It is not part of their consciousness just as it is not on the radar screen of society’s intelligentsia. Once again, Malaysia is a case in point.

There may be many reasons that explain why the media and governments in Asia have been less than lukewarm towards UNESCO’s Culture of Peace and Rapprochement of Cultures. It is quite conceivable that they feel that there are far more urgent and critical concerns that have to be addressed. They may even see a ‘Culture of Peace’ as a long-term ideal that has no immediate relevance. Indeed, it is possible that segments of the media and government may be inclined to dismiss ‘Rapprochement of Cultures’ as a difficult venture that is not worth pursuing.

A Decade of Violence

If scepticism about peace and rapprochement is widespread in society it may be because there has been a great deal of violence and bloodshed in the last 10 years or so--- in the very decade that has been proclaimed as ‘The International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World.’ An overview of the wars and conflicts during this period, 2001 to 2010, would testify to this. It is this violence and conflict that has undermined the quest for a decade of peace and a year of rapprochement.

Beginning with Southeast Asia, there has been sporadic violence in southern Philippines for most of the decade under review as segments of the Moro people continue their long struggle for autonomy and identity vis-a-vis Manila. Various parts of Indonesia--- such as Bali in October 2002--- have also witnessed acts of violence perpetrated by religious extremists. In Thailand, since 2004, there appears to be a resurgence of violence associated with Malay-Muslim separatist groups in the southern part of the country, and Thai-Buddhist military and para-military forces, while Bangkok has had to confront violence of a different sort arising from partisan politics. The military junta in Myanmar has shown no hesitation in resorting to violent suppression of legitimate dissent. [5]

When we turn to Northeast Asia, we see in China, occasional eruptions of political violence linked to expressions of ethnic-cum-religious identity consciousness. This happened in Tibet in March 2008 and again in Xinjiang in July 2009, where Han-Uighur riots claimed 140 lives. The tensions between North Korea and South Korea, aggravated by the military presence of the United States in the region, have also resulted in violence as evinced in the sinking of a South Korean warship in March 2010 that led to the death of 46 sailors.

Compared to Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, violence in South Asia has been more endemic. For 26 long years, from 1983 to 2009, Sri Lanka was in the throes of a civil war which pitted the Sinhalese majority against the Tamil minority. It was a war that killed tens of thousands of people. India has also known a lot of communal violence. It is estimated that about 2000 people died in Hindu-Muslim riots in Gujarat in 2002. Terrorism perpetrated by Hindu and Muslim groups alike is yet another source of violence in contemporary Indian society. Then there is India’s decades old conflict with Pakistan over Kashmir--- a conflict that has taken a huge toll on innocent lives. Pakistan itself has had no respite from violence. Sectarian violence has reared its ugly head over and over again in that blighted land. Every now and then there are reports of Sunni Muslims massacring Shia Muslims and Shias murdering Sunnis. Along Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan, violence manifests itself in another form. Hundreds of Pakistani civilians have become victims of unmanned American drones targeting Al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters, who are trying to tighten their grip upon the border region as they combat the US- helmed NATO occupation of Afghanistan.

Afghanistan brings us to Central Asia. Afghanistan itself is a cauldron of violence. Since Occupation, beginning October 2001, thousands of Afghans --- some Al-Qaeda and Taliban operatives, many others innocent men, women and children ---- have been killed. It is not just the occupiers who have been doing the killing; the Taliban and their allies, in the name of resisting foreign aggression and occupation, have also targeted civilians. Other states in Central Asia are also not immune from violence and conflict. In Kyrgyzstan, simmering ethnic tensions between the Kyrgyz majority and the Uzbek minority, were manipulated by politicians and led to an outbreak of violence in June 2010.

The final region in Asia under review --- West Asia—presents yet another tragic picture of war, violence and turmoil. Two years after the launch of the Decade for the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World, the US and a handful of its allies invaded and occupied Iraq in March 2003.[6] According to various reports, more than a million Iraqis have died as a result of the Occupation. Though a portion of US troops have been withdrawn,---- 50,000 will remain as “assist and advice” brigades--- the violence continues unabated.[7] Peace remains as elusive as ever. Peace is perhaps even more elusive in Palestine which has been a victim of violence for more than six decades. In January 2009, the defenceless citizens of Gaza in Palestine were subjected to a massive assault by the Israeli armed forces which left 1300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis dead. The root of the Palestinian catastrophe – it is worth reiterating--- is the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land and the dispossession of the Palestinian people.[8] Large parts of the Golan Heights in Syria and the Sheba Farm in Lebanon also remain under Israeli occupation, generating tensions in the entire region.

A Litany of Ironies

From the five regions we have reflected upon---- Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, and West Asia---it is obvious that in the decade of peace and rapprochement, there has been a great deal of violence and conflict. What is less obvious is that the violence and wars have subverted not just peace and rapprochement but also the goal that the Decade is dedicated to --- the goal of peace and non-violence for the children of the world. In a number of conflict zones, children have been killed mercilessly. If we tallied the figures for children massacred in Sri Lanka, Gujarat, Kashmir, Iraq and Palestine in particular, it would certainly come up to thousands! What an irony that thousands of children should die at the hands of the perpetrators of violence in a Decade of peace dedicated to them! Is this our gift to them --- the innocent and the vulnerable in our midst--- in this Decade and in this year of the Rapprochement of Cultures? Is the Decade a bane for the children of the world?

There are other ironies that may have escaped many of us. The first year of the Decade --- 2001--- was also the year when a group of Muslim extremists destroyed the Twin Towers in New York and part of the Pentagon in Washington D.C in the infamous September 11^th , or 9-11, episode.[9] Almost three thousand people were killed in those airplane attacks. An act of barbaric violence in a year dedicated to a culture of peace. In retaliation the US launched its ‘war on terror’ and chose as its first target, Afghanistan, which hosts Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda, the group that allegedly planned 9-11. The war on terror has lasted an entire decade dedicated to a culture of peace which is yet another irony. That irony is compounded by yet another coincidence of sorts. The US launched its war on terror in 2001, the year that the United Nations had designated as the Year of the Dialogue of Civilisations. Again, how ironical that the war on terror which more than anything else has widened the chasm between civilizations, specifically the West and the Muslim world, should have started in the very year that the Dialogue of Civilisations was proclaimed![10] And now at the end of a decade in which violence overwhelmed peace, and distrust between civilisations trumped dialogue, we solemnly declare 2010 as the international year for the rapprochement of cultures.

Causes

Being aware of the litany of ironies that signifies the Decade and the IYRC is one thing. It is even more crucial to understand in some depth the underlying causes of the conflicts and wars that have burdened and bloodied the decade. It is only when we understand the causes that we will be able to formulate effective and feasible solutions. Causes of, and solutions to, conflicts should be part of peace education programmes.

It is an understatement that the causes of conflicts that threaten peace are often complex and varied. The contexts in which they occur have to be taken into consideration. Generalising the causes could sometimes lead to oversimplification, and even distortion. With these caveats in mind, let us attempt to draw out some of the underlying causes of the conflicts we alluded to in the five regions of Asia.

Occupation, and the dispossession that accompanies it, persuades the dispossessed to resist, which in turn leads to conflict. It may also lead to a situation in which a people’s identity is challenged, and the victims seek to restore their honour and dignity.[11] Occupation may also be linked to the drive by the powerful to assert their hegemony. The quest for hegemony may be motivated by a desire to usurp the economic resources of the conquered. There are times when conflicts arise from inter-state antagonism and ideological friction. Partisan politics and political manipulation for electoral support appears to be yet another cause for conflict and violent hatred. Socio-economic disparities and marginalisation have also engendered hatred and violence within segments of society. By the same token, harsh and brutal state suppression of legitimate dissent can cause tensions and bloody conflagrations. Religious bigotry and extremism and sectarian rivalries are also inextricably intertwined with many a conflict. The oppressed and fanatics for different reasons may also resort to terrorism which is yet another factor that explains turmoil and violence in some parts of Asia.

Beyond causes, there are human attitudes that feed into violence and war, and are inimical to peace and harmony. Aggressiveness and belligerency are examples of such attitudes. So are the desire to dominate and control and the obsession with power, wealth and prestige. Greed and selfishness are also attitudes that contribute towards disparities and divisions in society which are not conducive to social solidarity and social cohesion. And, in the context of the IYRC’s emphasis upon cultural diversity, ethnic exclusiveness, racial bigotry and religious fanaticism are formidable barriers to understanding and empathy among diverse communities.

But the perennial--- and critical --- question is this: how does one, at the collective level, curb and control these negative attitudes and tendencies in the human being?

Peace Education

Peace education as concept and practice is concerned about these negative attitudes. The curriculum of certain peace education courses seeks to check aggressiveness, the obsession with power, greed and bigotry by providing concrete examples of how destructive these traits are, and through individual and group introspection and reflection.

While these methodologies should continue to be employed, peace education courses in Asia should seriously explore linking positive and negative attitudes, the virtues and vices that are part and parcel of the human personality with sacred knowledge, with belief in God, in a Transcendental Reality, in a Divine Presence. What this means is that virtues such as justice and peace would be seen as rooted in the Divine while vices such as an obsession with power and wealth or a tendency towards bigotry and chauvinism would be viewed as a transgression of divinely sanctioned values and principles.[12] By acknowledging the divine root of what is good we not only strengthen the spiritual-moral fabric of society but also connect with the worldview of the majority of the people of Asia and indeed of the world. Peace as a divine value thus becomes meaningful for the masses. At the same time, by integrating the Transcendent or God and God Consciousness into peace education, we are, in a sense, making it a little easier to check negative traits since a profound relationship with the Divine often helps to transform human character for the better. [13]

God Consciousness apart, peace education should go beyond guiding principles like dignity and liberty and address the real and the concrete. It should examine actual situations of conflict, analyse the causes and offer solutions. Of course, some peace and conflict resolution programmes run by universities in Asia do this. Much more can be done.

In analysing real and concrete situations, peace educators should take into account the prevailing structures of power and how they impact upon the quest for peace. We have shown for instance how political suppression and glaring economic injustices can generate violence. Exposing truths of this sort through peace education programmes may in certain situations demand courage and conviction.

Even more important, peace educators should be willing to give due emphasis to global hegemony as one of the greatest threats to peace in Asia and the world. The evidence, as we have seen, is overwhelming. And yet, in many current peace education courses there is a tendency to gloss over the question of global hegemony. It is as if we are afraid to deal with it because it involves the interests of a military superpower and its allies. Or, is it because many of us are still intellectually and psychologically subservient to the US and the West that we are not prepared to adopt a critical perspective on global hegemony? Or, is it because hegemony has become so normal and natural that we do not see it as a problem any more?[14] Whatever the reason, if we are serious and sincere about peace education, the prevailing mindset will have to change.

Finally, peace education, with all the changes that have been proposed here, should be directed at society at large. For far too long, peace education has been confined to universities, research institutes, think tanks, and some NGOs concerned about issues of peace. Because peace is so important for the very survival of the human family it is imperative that each and every member of the human family becomes aware of what peace entails, what undermines peace, what the consequences are when peace is threatened, and how the individual can help to advance the cause of peace. What this implies is that peace education should be part of the education of all of us--- from the kindergarten through school, right up to the university. Its contents should be disseminated through cultural and religious institutions, professional bodies, business entities, trade unions, NGOs, and most of all, the media.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if UNESCO made the popularisation, the massification of education for peace its mission for the next decade?

Endnotes:

[1] See “ The International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World (2001 to 2010).”http://www.unac.org/peacecp/decade/background.html p.1

[2] See “International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures” www.unesco.org/culture/dialogue p.2

[3] Ibid. p.2

[4] Op.Cit p.1

[5] Contemporary conflicts in various parts of the world are discussed regularly in the JUST Commentary, the monthly bulletin on international affairs published by the International Movement for a Just World, based in Malaysia

[6] The politics of this invasion and occupation is analysed in a number of essays in my Muslims Dialogue Terror ( Petaling Jaya, Malaysia: International Movement for a Just World, 2003) and in my Global Ethic or Global Hegemony? (London: ASEAN Academic Press, 2005)

[7] For some insights into this, see Bill Van Auken “ Withdrawal from Iraq?” JUST Commentary Vol 10, No. 8 August 2010 ( Petaling Jaya: International Movement for a Just World). The article is reproduced from www.Countercurrents.org

[8] A comprehensive analysis of Palestinian dispossession can be found in Edward Said Politics of Dispossession (Britain: Vintage, 1995).

[9] While 9-11 was an unconscionable act of evil, there are still many unanswered questions about the episode which is why respected scholars continue to demand a truly independent inquiry into 9-11. See for instance, David Ray Griffin The New Pearl Harbor (Northampton, Massachusetts: Interlink Publishing, 2004) and The Global War on Terror and the Question of World Order Hans Kochler (editor)

(Vienna: International Progress Organization, 2008).

[10] Why the War on Terror subverted the Dialogue of Civilisations is one of the issues that I explore in my Hegemony: Justice; Peace (Shah Alam, Malaysia: Arah Publications, 2008). See especially, Chapter 14.

[11] The politics of resistance in the Muslim world is studied in depth in Alastair Crooke Resistance The Essence of the Islamist Revolution (London: Pluto Press, 2009).

[12] Some chapters in Religion Seeking Justice and Peace ( Penang, Malaysia: Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia, 2010) Chandra Muzaffar(editor) elaborate upon this point.

[13] The role of divinely rooted values in checking wrongdoings is discussed in Abul Quasem The Ethics of Al-Ghazali (Malaysia: Muhammad Abu Quasem, 1975). See also the work of Syed Abdul Latif The Mind Al-Qur’an Builds (Kuala Lumpur: Islamic Book Trust, 2002).

[14] These are some of the issues probed in Noam Chomsky Hegemony or Survival: America’s Quest for Global Dominance (London: Hamish Hamilton, 2003). Some interesting insights can also be found in various chapters of Globalization and Civilization. Are they Forces in Conflict? Ali A. Mazrui, Patrick M. Dikkir and Shalahudin Kafrawi (editors) (New York: Global Scholarly Publications, 2008).

SEMINAR organised by the Department of Science & Technology University of Malaya & The Malaysian Social Science Association

2010-08-04T17:04:00.009+08:00

GANDHI'S CRITIQUE OF WESTERN MODERNITY &
THE COSMOPOLITANISM OF THE FUTURE

Prof. Vinay Lal

(Professor of History, Delhi University, India;

formerly Professor of History at UCLA)

.

Date: 9 August 2010 (Monday)

Time: 11am - 12.30pm

Venue: Seminar Room, Dept. of Science & Technology Studies,
Faculty of Science, UM.
.

All are invited (free admission).

Vinay Lal is a writer, university professor, and cultural critic who divides his time between India and the United States. He has been on the faculty at UCLA since 1993 and he is now Professor of History at Delhi University. He Writes widely on global politics, contemporary American politics, the politics of knowledge systems, Indian history, the popular and public culture of India (especially cinema), and the Indian diaspora. His ten books include Empire of Knowledge: Culture and Plurality in the Global Economy (Pluto Press, 2002; new ed., Sage, 2005); The History of History: Politics and Scholarship in Modern India (Oxford, 2003); Of Cricket, Guinness and Gandhi: Essays on Indian History and Culture (Penguin, 2005); and The Other Indians: A Political and Cultural History of South Asians in America (Harper Collins, 2008). He has collaborated with Ashis Nandy on three books, including the co-edited volume, The Future of Knowledge and Culture: A Dictionary for the Twenty-first Century (Viking Penguin, 2005), and his own edited volume, Political Hinduism: The Religious Imagination in Public Spheres, appeared from Oxford UP last year. But his principal claim to fame may well be the fact that he is among the faculty members in the United States profiled in David Horowitz's book called The Professors (2008), on the 101 "most dangerous" professors in the American academy.

Abstract
.
Gandhi's Critique of Western Modernity and the Cosmopolitanism of the FutureVinay Lal
.

In 1909, Mohandas Gandhi, not yet the Mahatma, penned a little tract entitled Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule. Gandhi at this time still had relatively little experience of India, as he had spent close to twenty years in South Africa, but his efforts to secure rights for Indians in South Africa had earned him something of a reputation in India itself. Gandhi’s intervention in debates on Indian nationalism came at a critical juncture: nationalists were divided between the so-called ‘moderates’, who favored constitutional means to earn dominion status for India within the British empire, and the ‘extremists’, some of whom advocated outright independence from colonial rule and the use of armed revolutionary violence. Gandhi, in his characteristic fashion, would craft a unique position in Hind Swaraj, a treatise that earned him notoriety and fame in equal parts. Hind Swaraj would be the one text to which Gandhi would give his unswerving ‘loyalty’ until the end of his life.

The West’s Gandhi is arguably a sanitized figure, the apostle of nonviolence and the prophet of peace. However, as I shall argue in this lecture, this version of Gandhi cannot accommodate the Gandhi of Hind Swaraj, and much of the hostility to Gandhi in the West stems from the view of Gandhi as a resolute anti-modernist who had quaint if not repulsive ideas about sex, disliked modern medicine, and hearkened back in countless ways to some romantic view of India as a cluster of autarchic village republics. Gandhi, in turn, remained visibly unimpressed by the West’s high culture, and his sympathies lay with dissenting, marginalized, and peripheral philosophies, movements, and figures in the West. In Hind Swaraj, Gandhi launched a blistering critique, to which he remained committed for the remaining 40 years of his life, of Western modernity; however, those who seek easy recourse to nationalism have not found Hind Swaraj very palatable either, since Gandhi was neither an unrepentant traditionalist nor was his conception of the West so monolithic as to preclude an understanding of the many kinds of ‘West’ subsumed under the general conception of the ‘West’.

I will conclude with an assessment of Gandhi's challenge to global histories emerging from the West, indeed to the very idea of 'global history'. This is particularly important in view of the fact that Gandhi is seen as a universal figure, but I shall suggest that Gandhi was no champion of the idea of history, much less of any histories purporting to be global. Gandhi's most enduring contribution may be his relentless questioning of the presuppositions of modern knowledge systems and his gestures towards a new and largely unimagined form of political organizers: 'Think Globally, act locally.' Quite to the contrary, I shall argue, Gandhi was a vigorous proponent of the idea that one must 'think locally, act globally'. In this last thought, Ishall argue, is encapsulated the gist of Gandhi's engagement with the West: he embraced it, as he embraced any part of the world, as the arena of action for any person endowed with a moral conscience, but he was justly suspicious ofthe view that all our universalisms were to be derived from the West.

SYARAHAN

2010-06-25T16:50:00.004+08:00

“Singapore in the Malay World”

oleh Dr Lily Zubaidah Rahim

.
Persatuan Sains Sosial Malaysia dan Fakulti Sastera & Sains Sosial akan menganjurkan satu syarahan yang akan disampaikan oleh Dr Lily Zubaidah Rahim dari University of Sydney, Australia, bertajuk “Singapore in the Malay World”. Syarahan ini adalah berdasarkan buku yang dihasilkan oleh beliau yang diterbitkan oleh Routledge. Waktu, tarikh dan tempat adalah seperti berikut:

Waktu: 10:00am – 12:00pm
Tarikh: 30 Jun (Rabu)
Tempat: Bilik Mesyuarat Dekan 2, Fakulti Sastera & Sains Sosial, Universiti Malaya

Synopsis of the book/lecture
Relations between Singapore and her immediate neighbours have been perenially fraught with tension and misunderstanding. In making sense of this complex relationship, Lily explores the salience of historical animosities, competitive economic pressures, Singapore's security and foreign economic policy orientation and regional outsider complex. She highlights the paradoxical similarities in the nation-building approaches of Singapore and Malaysia and analyses the city-state's weak regional soft power credentials.
.

Bio-profile
Lily Zubaidah Rahim is an Associate Professor in Government and International Relations. She lectures on Southeast Asian Politics and Political Islam. 'The Singapore Dilemma: Political and Educational Marginality of the Malay Community', (KL: Oxford University Press, 2001) established her as a leading researcher on political and social developments in Singapore. The book precipitated a public debate on Singapore’s nation-building paradigm particularly after it received prominent coverage in the Malaysian and Singaporean newspapers. The policy significance of 'The Singapore Dilemma' led to its translation in 2004 by the Malaysian National Institute for Translation to the Malay language.
.

Building on the themes in 'The Singapore Dilemma', Lily Zubaidah’s second sole-authored book 'Singapore in the Malay World: Building and Breaching Regional Bridges' (London: Routledge, 2009) focuses on Singapore’s mercurial relations with neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia. She is currently engaged in a global project on gender justice and shariah reforms in Islam.
.

A Singaporean national, Lily Zubaidah’s international exposure includes extended periods of teaching and research in Malaysia, Singapore and The Netherlands. Her multidisciplinary research interests have been published in numerous international journals and book chapters. They include an eclectic range spanning from governance in authoritarian states, democratisation, ethnicity, regionalism and political Islam.

INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP

2010-06-19T11:17:00.003+08:00

SECOND CALL FOR PAPERS
International workshop on SMEs in East & Southeast Asia

jointly organised by Universiti Sains Malaysia & Asia Research Centre,

Copenhagen Business School
30 September to 1 October 2010

Call for papers!

Title:

‘Global Economics and the SME Business Environment in East and Southeast Asia: Opportunities and Constrains’

Due to the increasingly inter-dependency between the global economy, a given national economy and its societal embedment a triangulation between the three elements seems a promising approach if processes and thus inter-dependencies between the three points in the triangle are to be understood. This workshop challenges the participants to focus on all three elements, that is, the global, the national economic and the societal elements of this triangulation to test whether such an approach is capable of illustrating the inter-dependences thus critically testing the notion of decoupling in any of the three points in the triangulation. The purpose is to see whether it suffices to focus on the national economic performance of a given nation in East and Southeast Asia in order to understand the character of the societal and institutional embedment in that economy or whether one also has to integrate a global economic perspective in this context when studying small and medium size companies (SMEs).

Furthermore, the question is whether such a holistic and relational perspective on the political economy of a given nation compared to a decoupling approach that tries through sector determined studies to decide on the level of connectivity between global and national economic determinants thus trying to detect whether there are potential fault-lines between the two thus delinking them is the most applicable when studying SMEs. As the latter are the empirical point of departure in this workshop it might be rewarding to investigate how various SMEs within an East and Southeast Asian context relate to various governmental industry policies, how various socio-cultural factors impact on this context, and how the level of global economic entrenchment affect all of these factors thus testing the functionality and level of inter-dependency between the two other aspects.

Such an analysis could take its point of departure in, for example, how global economics impacts on network practices, ownership structures and strategic planning among SMEs in a national economic context. Employing such an approach might suggest that it is not enough to concentrate on how a given SME community is organised or structured vis-à-vis other industrial sectors in which it is engaged. It might also be important to analyse the structural changes within that community given the fact that it is not only dependent on domestic socio-political constrains, but also constrained by external factors over which it has no control. In order to develop a frame for such a discourse, the organisers suggest three main themes for the workshop to explore:

1. Economic nationalism and industrial development among SMEs in East and Southeast Asia
a. Small is beautiful: assessing the impact of SMEs on national economic set-up: case studies from East and Southeast Asia

b. State intervention and SME survival strategies during the financial crisis: case studies from

East and Southeast Asia
c. SME versus MNC? On industrial flexibility and adaptability in a global economy: Testing a triangulation approach
d. Economic nationalism and local industrial decoupling: a viable solution for SMEs?

2. Business strategies and processes of engagement: locally and/or globally
a. Impact on and responses from SMEs towards the current global financial crisis: case studies from East and Southeast Asia
b. Enhancing SME competitiveness through university-industry collaboration: open innovation versus networked innovation: case studies from East and Southeast Asia
c. On categorizing SMEs: domestic marked oriented, supplier oriented, sub-contracting oriented, export oriented or born global? Identifying the drivers of change and diversity within the SME community in East and Southeast Asia

3. Internationalization strategies or economic decoupling in East and Southeast Asia
a. SME internationalization strategies: diasporic linkages or truncated network practices in the global market place?
b. Developing new strategies of growth for SMEs: 1) going international by itself, 2) engaging in business alliances when engaging the global market, or 3) take the ‘safe’ way, becoming a supplier or sub-contractor to a resident MNC?
c. Chinese owned SMEs versus non-Chinese owned SMEs in an East and Southeast Asian context: strategic decoupling or aggressive internationalization strategies? Some case studies

Deadlines:
As mentioned above the workshop is to take place on September 30th to October 1st 2010. It is jointly organised by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Asia Research Centre, Copenhagen Business School (ARC/CBS). The organisers, Dr. Chin Yee Whah (USM) and Dr. Michael Jakobsen (ARC/CBS), have set the deadline for submitting a working title and an abstract on June 30th 2010. This would give the organisers amble time to flesh out a final workshop programme that the participants will receive by July 15th 2010. As soon as we have the critical mass of participants a detailed practical workshop guide will be send out. The organisers are currently negotiating with pertinent international journals for a special issue based on the outcome from the workshop.
.

Venue:
The workshop is to take place at the Asia Research Centre, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark.
.

Registration fee and accomodation:
There is no registration fee and that the accommodation and workshop expenses will be provided by the organisers.
.

Contact details:
Michael Jakobsen (mj.int@cbs.dk), Asia Research Centre (http://www.cbs.dk/forskning/institutter_centre/institutter/arc), Copenhagen Business School. Porcelaenshaven 22. 2000F. Denmark. Phone: 0045 3815 3396.
.

Dr. Chin Yee Whah (ywchin@usm.my), School of Social Science, University Sains Malaysia. 11800 Penang, Malaysia. Phone: 604 653 4609.

PUBLIC LECTURE

2010-05-25T14:49:00.008+08:00

Malaysian Maverick:
Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times

Speaker:

Barry Wain

.
Discussants:
Professor Edmund Terence Gomez
Professor Wan Zawawi Ibrahim
Dr Ong Kian Ming

Date:

27 May 2010 (Thursday)
Time: 6.00-7.30pm

Venue:
Lecture Theatre 3
Faculty of Economics & Administration
University of Malaya
.

Abstract
Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times, now a Malaysian best seller, is an insightful and controversial biography that recounts the political journey of Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia from 1981 to 2003, who emerged as one of Asia’s most iconic politicians. Barry Wain’s book assesses Mahathir’s economic development policies, his restructuring of key institutions, his struggle with political Islam and his prominence in international affairs as a defender of ‘Third World’ rights. His lecture will review these issues.

The Speaker
Barry Wain is Writer-in-Residence at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) in Singapore. A former Editor of the The Asian Wall Street Journal, he also worked for the Far Eastern Economic Review as an Associate Editor.

Organized by:
Social & Behavioural Science Research Cluster, University of Malaya and the Malaysian Social Science Association.

PSSM MENGALU-ALUKAN PRESIDEN & EXCO BARU

2010-05-17T17:27:00.000+08:00

Gambar sebelah kiri ke kanan: Dr. Sity Daud (Bendahari), Prof. Emeritus Dato’ Dr. Abdul Rahman Embong (President), Prof. Dr. Mohd. Hazim Shah (Timb. President) & Dr. Sharifah Zarina Syed Zakaria (SU)

Persatuan Sains Sosial Malaysia (PSSM) telah mengadakan Mesyuarat Agong Tahunan pada 13 Mei 2010 di Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Mesyuarat agong kali ini cukup bermakna kerana PSSM menyaksikan peralihan dan berakhirnya satu tempoh kepimpinan yang telah mengemudikan PSSM selama satu dekad dari 2000 sehingga 2010. Justeru acara kemuncak Mesyuarat Agong semalam ialah pemilihan Presiden dan Exco baru dan pengunduran Presiden yang lama iaitu Profesor Emeritus Dato’ Dr Abdul Rahman Embong. Profesor Rahman telah digantikan oleh Timbalan Presiden, Profesor Dr. Mohd Hazim Shah.

Mesyuarat seperti biasa telah meluluskan Minit Mesyuarat Agong tahun lalu, Penyata Kewangan 2009 serta Laporan Tahunan April 2009 hingga April 2010. Pada masa yang sama, satu Penyata Kewangan Khas untuk tempoh empat bulan dari 1 Januari – 30 April 2010 serta Laporan Khas Presiden bertajuk “PSSM Satu Dekad 2000-2010” telah dibentangkan. Laporan khas itu meliputi tempoh kepimpinan Profesor Rahman Embong selaku Presiden selama 10 tahun dari 2000 sehingga 2010 dan menggariskan 11 perkara utama yang menjadi petanda keberhasilan PSSM. Laporan khas kewangan itu pula untuk menyatakan kedudukan kewangan semasa peralihan pucuk pimpinan berlaku.

Mesyuarat Agong telah memilih Jawatankua Kerja PSSM untuk tempoh 2010-2012 seperti berikut:

PRESIDEN:

Prof. Dr. Mohd Hazim Shah

TIMBALAN PRESIDEN:

Prof. Madya Dr. Rashila Ramli

NAIB PRESIDEN:

Profesor Dr. Wan Zawawi Ibrahim

Profesor Dr. Terence Gomez

Dr. Sity Daud

SETIAUSAHA KEHORMAT:

Dr. Sharifah Zarina Syed Zakaria

PEN. SETIAUSAHA KEHORMAT:

Puan Sharifah Shahirah Syed Sheikh

.
BENDAHARI:

Dr. Lee Yoke Fee

AHLI JAWATANKUASA:

Prof. Madya Saliha Hassan

Prof. Madya Zaharom Nain

Saudari Wan Puspa Melati Wan Abdul Halim

Dr. Kartini Aboo Samah

Saudara Leow Wei Yi

JURUAUDIT:

Prof. Madya Dr. Faridah Shahadan

Prof. Madya Dr. Zarina Othman

Untuk menghargai jasa mantan Presiden Profesor Rahman dan memastikan kesinambungan kepimpinan PSSM, Mesyuarat Agong sebulat suara bersetuju melantik beliau sebagai Penasihat PSSM.

kiri: Prof. Emeritus Dato' Dr. Abdul Rahman Embong (Presiden), bersama Timb. Presiden Prof. Dr. Mohd. Hazim Shah (meneliti laporan presiden PSSM

Bendahari PSSM, Dr. Sity Daud, membentang Penyata Kewangan PSSM

atas: Sebahagian daripada ahli yang hadir

Prof. Dr. Mohd Hazim Shah dipilih sebagai Presiden, PSSM yang baru.

nukilan pada: 14 Mei 2010

The 7th International Malaysian Studies Conference (MSC7): A Report

2010-04-15T16:45:00.001+08:00

The 7th International Malaysian Studies Conference (MSC7) was successfully convened at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) from 16th to 18th March 2010. It is the first time that MSC came to the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia after it was consistently organized by Persatuan Sains Sosial Malaysia (PSSM) and other universities as hosts in the Klang Valley for more than ten years before MSC6 was held in East Malaysia, that is, in Kuching, Sarawak in 2008. USM played host and co-convenor of MSC7 and worked together with Persatuan Sains Sosial Malaysia as principal convenor and two other co-convenors -- the Institute of Malaysian & International Studies (IKMAS) and the Institute of Occidental Studies (IKON), both from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

MSC7 was hosted in USM’s garden like campus environment, which witnessed the confluence of international young and well-known Malaysianist scholars together with young as well as reputable local scholars from a diverse range of disciplines who presented their research findings on Malaysia in various themes. Amongst the distinguished scholars, Emeritus Professor Dr. Terry McGee (University of British Columbia), Emeritus Professor Dr. Michael Banton (Universty of Bristol), Professor Dr. Ien Ang (University of Western Sydney), Professor Dr. Francis Loh Kok Wah (Universiti Sains Malaysia) and Professor Dr. Jomo K.S. (United Nations, New York) delivered their impressive keynote addresses to more than 200 participants in a packed and extended conference hall. The keynote addresses centered on five major issues that Malaysia is facing in a critical transition period that include urbanization transition, multiculturalism in a global context, ethnic groups, labour movement, and economic growth, distribution and the New Economic Policy. The conference is organized in a way that some of the major issues presented in the keynotes were further discussed in four separate roundtables that not only involved academics but also non-academics such as representatives from Khazanah National, former banker and representatives from the film industry to provide further insights into the discussion.

The three-day conference that gathered more than 160 papers was divided into five concurrent sessions with an average of three to four papers per session being presented. The broad themes encompassed the state, market and society of a changing Malaysia. There are 45 panels in total, and out of these panels, 17 were institutional panels and the remaining were non-institutional ones. Amongst the interesting panels, personally, my preferences are ‘Malaysia out of the box’; ‘Orang Asli and social development’; ‘polygamous marriages’; ‘Urbanization in Malaysia’; ‘internationalizing higher education in Malaysia’; ‘managing ethnic, social classes and social differences’; ‘economic development, ethnic relations and poverty’. From my observation, two panels on polygamous marriages have the largest attendance with participants overflowing. The researchers in these two panels also broke new ground in their research as commented by some senior scholars. Of the 45 panels, there were four young scholars’ panels on history, politics, society and economy chaired by established scholars who provided helpful feedback and triggered interesting discussion.

MSC7 witnessed a mix of “heavy weight”, “light weight” scholars together with young scholars. The second roundtable dialogue on “Malaysian studies in a global context” gave me an idea that Japanese scholars on Malaysian studies are now in the third generation. German scholars on Malaysian studies are also on the rise, which is clearly evident with the impressive number of Germans scholars including very senior ones such as Prof. Hans-Dieter Evers, present at MSC7. Malaysian studies is also important in the United States. Finally, Malaysian scholars who work on Malaysian studies are now in the third and fourth generations. As a student, I first participated in MSC3 in 2001 when I completed my PhD and since then I have become a part of MSC and grow in my scholarly work with MSC over the years. I suppose I am in the category of “light weight”J.

By:
Dr. Chin Yee Whah
Associate Professor of Economic Sociology
School of Social Sciences
Universiti Sains Malaysia

11 April 2010

MY LENS ON MSC7

2010-04-15T16:41:00.002+08:00

The MSC7 held in Penang recently was indeed an enlightening, fun, and resourceful three day affair for me. Initially, I was just curious as to “check out the scene” of a conference held in Malaysia and to see the execution of the initiative championed by PSSM. I learned about this conference through the PSSM meeting and was informed that this conference is the platform for young scholars and budding social scientists to develop their social, cultural, and intellectual capitals. So, I decided to take this opportunity to not only be a participant but also present a paper.

Since my presentation was scheduled to be on the last day, I managed to spend my time listening to the keynote addresses, roundtable discussions as well as other panel presentations. No doubt the topics of the presentations and discussions are interesting and challenging, but what was more impactful for me was the opportunity to learn from the experts themselves – their perspectives, the way they conduct their presentations, the way they answer (or even deflect!) questions and feedbacks. Some presenters such as Prof. Emeritus Dr. Michael Banton, Datuk Dr. Prof. Shamsul Amri, Datuk Dr. Prof. Rahman Embong, and Dr. Anis managed to stimulate and inspire me with their presentations—something that one cannot get merely by reading their published journals and publications.

In addition, the way the rooms were organized (especially between rooms 1, 2 and 3) eased the movement of participants between rooms and resulted in high turnouts for most panel presentations. The explicit encouragement by the PSSM president to all participants, especially the senior participants, to attend young scholar presentations, I believe, helped achieve the objective of the conference. I was flattered that experts like Prof. Dr. Mohd Hazim Shah and Prof. Abdul Halim Ali attended my session and even provided additional information as well as helpful comments to my panel. Positive experience as such was indeed invaluable and propels me to partake and be more active in similar activities in the future.

I also appreciate the organizers’ professionalism in handling the entire event – the transportation, the registration, the parallel room setup as well as the time management. It was also interesting to note the various strategies employed by the chairpersons to break the ice of their sessions as well as to ensure the compliance of the experts on their panel to conform to the time management.

Lastly, what I considered as the highlight of the event is definitely the opportunity to meet and get to know other social scientists. It was great to see that this conference is supported and participated by top social scientists locally and internationally. Also, I appreciate the fact that all participants, even the prominent social scientists, were not segregated in terms of dining, transportation, and so forth. This promotes the intellectual and social exchanges between participants. In fact, some of the prominent social scientists like Prof. Dr. Wan Zawawi, Datuk Dr. Denison Jayasooria, and Assc. Prof. Dr. Zaharom Nain even welcomed the young scholars to join them during lunches and short breaks. The good mix of local and international participants also definitely opened my eyes, heart and mind to not only the social issues being discussed but the cross-cultural analysis and viewpoints definitely serve as food for thought. Thus, overall I was very impressed by this conference and applaud the organizers for the success of this event. It will definitely be one of my “looking forward” biennial events from now on.

Ms Melati Puspa Wan Abdul Halim
Head of Programme/Lecturer
Faculty of Social Science and Industrial Studies
Universiti Industri Selangor (UNISEL)

MSC7 PROGRAMME,16-18 MARCH 2010, UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA (USM), PENANG

2010-03-10T15:45:00.031+08:00

BORANG KEAHLIAN PSSM

2010-03-01T22:48:00.007+08:00

....................................................................

For Inquiry:

Handphone: 012-9161840
Email: ahlipssm@yahoo.com

MSC7

2010-01-15T13:18:00.006+08:00

Date of MSC7 Full Paper Submission to 15 Feb 2010...

PLEASE HURRY & SUBMIT YOUR FULL PAPER A.S.A.P. tO pssmalaysia@yahoo.com & pssm_msc7@yahoo.com.

TQ.

SPECIAL HOTEL RATES FOR MSC7 PARTICIPANTS

Hotel Equatorial - 5 Star - Tel:+6-04-6438111

www.penang-hotels.com/equatorial/

Special Rate: RM180++ (no breakfast)

.................RM222++ (with breakfast for one)

Vistana Hotel - 4 Star - Tel:+6-04-6468000

www.vistanahotels.com/vpg_main.php

Special Rate: RM184 net (with breakfast), Twin sharing / Single

B-Suite - 2 Star - Tel:+6-04-6467777

www.b-suite.com.my/

Special Rate: RM145 net (No Breakfast)
.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

Please make your personal booking. Please inform the MSC7 Secretariat which hotel you stay in order for us to arrange transportation for you to the conference site. All three hotels are just five minutes away from Universiti Sains Malaysia by shuttle bus. Also, please mention that you are participant of the Malaysian Studies Conference (MSC7) in order to get the special rates.

2010-01-15T10:25:00.002+08:00

URGENT!!!...

Please read the following carefully and act accordingly.

TO ALL PSSM MEMBERS AND PARTICIPANTS OF
THE 7TH INTERNATIONAL MALAYSIAN STUDIES CONFERENCE (MSC7)

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
BY THE MSC7 ORGANISING COMMITTEE
18 JANUARY 2010
............................................................................

1. PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU HAVEN’T RECEIVED REPLY
The MSC7 Organising Committee has reviewed all abstracts submitted by those intending to participate in MSC7 due on 16-18 March 2010 and has replied to all who have submitted their abstracts. IN THE EVENT SOME PARTICIPANTS MAY NOT HAVE RECEIVED THEIR OFFICIAL REPLY, PLEASE CONTACT US IMMEDIATELY AND SUBMIT YOUR ABSTRACT AGAIN SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS IT SOONEST.

2. SUBMISSION OF FULL PAPERS
Please write the full papers for MSC7 in accordance with the format indicated in our reply letter and submit them LATEST BY 15 FEBRUARY 2010. The Committee will compile the papers in the CD as conference proceedings.

3. PAYMENT OF REGISTRATION FEE
Please pay the registration fee when you submit the full papers. You can either pay directly into PSSM account and fax to us the receipt (with your name and MSC7 written on it) as proof of payment and bring the original receipt to the Conference. You can also come to the PSSM Secretariat and pay directly.

4. LETTER OF UNDERTAKING
For those sponsored by their institution, you can submit the letter of undertaking from your institution as proof of commitment to pay. Please fax a copy of the letter to us, and bring the original on the day of the Conference.

5. NO PERSONAL CHEQUES
As per past practice, personal cheques are not accepted as mode of payment.

6. FILL UP REGISTRATION FORM
To make payment and register as participants, please fill up the MSC7 Registration form and submit it to us. Please visit PSSM website http://www.pssm-pssm.blogspot.com for the MSC7 flyer which contains the rates of registration fees, registration form and PSSM banking information.

7. TENTATIVE PROGRAMME
The MSC7 Organising Committee is currently preparing a tentative programme for MSC7 which we will send out to all members and others soon. Please study the programme carefully and indicate if your name is missing or if there are mistakes. Please note that the Committee DOES NOT ENTERTAIN requests for changes in the schedule for your papers as this will create a host of complications.

8. HOTEL ACCOMMODATION
Please see the list of hotels in Penang around USM if you need such accommodation (enclosed). Our USM counterparts have discussed with the hotels who agreed to give government rates to all MSC7 participants. As mentioned earlier, the Secretariat is not responsible for booking your accommodation.

PSSM website: http://www.pssm-pssm.blogspot.com/
Telephone: 03-89214169

Handphone: 012-3872930
Fax number: 03-89261022

(attention: Azie)

HIGLIGHTS MSC7

2010-01-15T10:10:00.006+08:00

OF THE 7TH INTERNATIONAL MALAYSIAN STUDIES CONFERENCE (MSC7)

16-18th MARCH 2010, IN USM, PENANG
--------------------------------------

The MSC7 Organising Committee is happy to announce that the MSC7 will feature the following keynote addresses by distinguished scholars:

Professor Emeritus Dr Terry Mc Gee, University of British Columbia, Canada, on “The Urbanization Transition in the 21st Century: Implications for Malaysia”

Professor Dr. Ien Ang, Centre for Cultural Research, University of Western Sydney, on “Multiculturalism in A Globalising World”

Dr. Jomo K.S., United Nations Assistant Secretary General for Economic Affairs (former professor in economics at Universiti Malaya) on “Growth, Distribution and the New Economic Policy”.

Prof. Dr. Francis Loh Kok Wah, School of Social Sciences, USM, on “Whither Labour and the Labour Movement in Malaysia?

Besides the keynote addresses, there will be three roundtables with well-known and interesting speakers:

Urban Governance and Liveable Cities
Malaysian Studies in a Global Context
Tribute to Yasmin Ahmad (and with a film show by her)

Friends who are interested in attending MSC7 and not presenting papers can still register as participants by paying the registration fees. Kindly refer to the MSC7 flyer in the website for the rates.

MSC7 Organising Committee
13 January 2010

2009-11-09T17:23:00.006+08:00

THE 7th INTERNATIONAL MALAYSIAN STUDIES CONFERENCE (MSC7)

"Critical Transitions:

Repositioning The State Market & Society"

16 - 18 March 2010 (Tue - Thurs)

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM),

Penang

Enquiries:

Persatuan Sains Sosial Malaysia (PSSM)

(Attn: Aziemah)

c/o Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS)

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)

43600 Bangi

Selangor, Malaysia

Email: pssmalaysia@yahoo.com or pssm_msc7@yahoo.com

Tel: 6-03-8921 4169

H/P: 012-3872930

Fax: 6-03-8926 1022

2009-11-09T11:43:00.007+08:00

What is the Current State of Affairs of Malaysian Social Science?
What are its Future Prospects?
.
Report of a keynote address
by PSSM President

A few days ago, on 28 October 2009, the President of the Malaysian Social Science Association (PSSM), Professor Dato’ Dr Abdul Rahman Embong, an emeritus professor in the sociology of development from the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), delivered a keynote address on the theme, “Malaysian Social Science: Current State of Affairs and Future Prospects” at The Social Science Postgraduate Students National Seminar 2009. This two-day seminar, organised by the School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), was attended by more than 100 postgraduate students from various universities namely USM, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, and Universiti Malaysia Sabah. Profiling more than 90 papers, five breakout sessions were held to hear and discuss the presentations on various topics based on the students’ research. The seminar, held at the Gurney Hotel, Penang, was officiated by the Dean of the USM School of Social Sciences, Associate Professor Ismail Baba who stated that the School intended to make this seminar as an annual event.

In his one-hour keynote address, Professor Rahman began by first warmly congratulating USM, in particular its School of Social Sciences, for taking the initiative to hold this seminar. He noted that this is the first seminar of its kind organised at the national level for postgraduate students with paper presenters and participants consisting of Masters or Ph.D. students from the various fields of the social sciences.

As it was a student audience, Professor Rahman began by tracing briefly the Western intellectual origins of Malaysian social science, and then went on to show how this corpus of knowledge became institutionalised as an indispensable component for the teaching and learning as well as for research and publication that had an impact on policy-making as well as on society in general in Malaysia. This was possible via the establishment of university faculties and departments, beginning with the University of Malaya in 1961, followed by the establishment of other public universities namely USM (1969), UKM (1970), UPM (1971), Universiti Islam Antarabangsa and Universiti Utara Malaysia in the 1980s, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak and Universiti Malaysia Sabah in the 1990s and many other newer universities. Malaysian social science today comprises a rich body of knowledge contributed by many scholars, Malaysians and Malaysianists, a number of whom have made a name for themselves and earned respect and distinction nationally and internationally.

Professor Rahman is confident that social science in Malaysia has a future despite the emphasis on science and technology by the government as well as by not a few among the university leadership, most of whom consist of people in the various fields of S&T. The increasing complexity of society arising from market-driven globalization, industrialization as well as the ICT revolution with their multifarious impacts upon ethnic, inter-religious and social relations, coupled with the increasing demand by the people for holistic and sustainable development, democracy, social justice and good governance means that social science is required all the more to provide analysis and explanations to these problems and issues. In this regard, Professor Rahman stressed that Malaysian social science scholars and students must rise up to the challenge of raising standards and quality of social science be it in their teaching and learning, research and publication and other endeavours. He reminded that we need to pay serious attention to theory, grasp the state of the art, be clear about research problems and tools of analysis to provide originality in our research, employ both the comparative and historical perspectives as well as the sociological imagination, and develop a culture of an independent scholarship.

He urged the students to learn from the experience of the earlier generations of scholars, appreciate the scholarly tradition, and be prepared to play their role as successors in this endeavour. He saw a promising future ahead if students imbue themselves with idealism, conviction and commitment to serious scholarship, and have the spirit of humility as well as the willingness to continue learning and improving themselves.

PSSM President Prof. Rahman delivering his keynote address at the postgraduate students national seminar in Penang"
"Prof. Rahman with Assoc. Prof. Ismail Baba during the seminar break"

Buku Terbaru dari YBhg. Prof. Dr. Wan Zawawi

2009-08-26T13:19:00.000+08:00

Seminar

2009-08-26T13:18:00.023+08:00

MALAYSIAN SOCIAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION (PSSM) &
THE INSTITUTE OF MALAYSIAN AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES (IKMAS)
UNIVERSITI KEBANGSAAN MALAYSIA

Cordially invites you to

EXPERIENCES OF ISLAM IN THE

UNITED STATES & MALAYSIA

.
Speaker:
PROF. LEONARD SWIDLER
Temple University, USA

Date / Venue:
15 October 2009 (Thursday), 10:00 am – 12:00 noon
IKMAS Seminar Room, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi

Speaker’s biodata:
.

Profesor Leonard Swidler is Professor of Catholic Thought & Interreligious Dialogue at Temple University, USA (since 1966). He is co-Founder with his wife Arlene Swidler in 1964 of the Journal of Ecumenical Studies (and still the Editor), Founder-President of the Institute for Interreligious, Intercultural Dialogue (1978). He holds degrees in History, Philosophy, and Theology from Marquette University (MA), University of Wisconsin (Ph.D.) and Tübingen University, Germany (S.T.L.), was Visiting Professor at Graz (Austria), Hamburg and Tübingen (Germany), Nankai University (Tianjin), Fudan University (Shanghai), and Temple University Japan (Tokyo), and University of Malaya (Kuala Lumpur). He has published more than 180 articles and 70 books, including: Jewish‑Christian‑Muslim Dialogue (1978), Buddhism Made Plain (1984), Religious Liberty and Human Rights (1986), After the Absolute: The Dialogical Future of Religious Reflection (1990), Death or Dialogue. From the Age of Monologue to the Age of Dialogue (1990), A Bridge to Buddhist-Christian Dialogue (1990), Muslims in Dialogue. The Evolution of a Dialogue over a Generation (1992), For All Life: Toward a Universal Declaration of a Global Ethic. An Interreligious Dialogue (1998), The Study of Religion in the Age of Global Dialogue (2000), Dialogue in Malaysia and the Globe (2004), Confucianism in Dialogue Today. West, Christianity, and Judaism (2005), Making the Church Our Own. Reforming the Catholic Church from the Bottom Up (2007), Jesus Was a Feminist (2007), Trialogue. Jews, Christians, Muslims in Dialogue (2007).

All ARE WELCOME
(For further information please call 8921-3205/4169 or 8921-3625)

REMEMBERING YASMIN AHMAD

2009-08-26T13:17:00.013+08:00

Persatuan Sains Sosial Malaysia (PSSM), together with the rest of Malaysia, pays homage to the doyen of Malaysian new cinema - the late Yasmin Ahmad.

Her imaginings on Malaysian multiculturalism through her advertisements and cinematic works have touched the hearts of many, especially Malaysian who envision a nation that binds, inspired by a storyteller who is forever crafting her magical lenses to privilege us with stories of everyday cross-cultural love and humanbeingness which transcend difference, stereotypes and petty ethnocentricism. Above all, Yasmin is a harbinger of compassionate Islam and an autocritic who engages with the themes of the brave new world of contemporary multiethnic Malaysia where others fear to tread. As such, she is often misunderstood by those who are afraid of their own shadows and refuse to move out of their own narrow mindsets. But true to her art, she perseveres and is single-minded, seekingonly the blessing of her parents and Allah's restu.

Such is the nature of her dedication to her work. And it has brought her recognition and awards both in her own country and in the global film circuit. For the record, Yasmin remains the most internationally acclaimed Malaysian film director to date. Of equal significance is that in a society where Malaysian cinema has for long been predominantly identified with Malay films, she has emerged as a doyen heralding the rise of a new multicultural force in the new Malaysian Cinema consisting of young Malaysian film makers from all races, such as Amir Muhammad, Othman Ali, Deepak Kumaran, Ho Yuhang, James Lee, Tan Chui Mui and others. Their presence will surely move Malaysian cinema to a new paradigm shift, taking the lead from Yasmin's 'out of the box' cinematic explorations.

We in PSSM have been closely following Yasmin Ahmad's creativity and journey as a public intellectual who had so much more to tell and impact beyond our conventional social science published texts and journal articles. In her short lifetime, she has given us the memorable Petronas Tv and the equally heartwarming films such as Rabun, Sepet, Gubra, Mukhsin, Mualaf and Talentime. Wr have had the privilege of hosting her in one of our flagship Malaysian Studies conferences in which she charmed us with her wits and touched us with Mukhsin. Both local and international scholars who came to watch stayed long into the night to seize the opportunity to discuss and exchange their views with this humble but very talented film director. For them, her presence and her film during the conference had left a special moment by which to cherish her memory now that she has departed.

PSSM mourns the passing of a true Malaysian. She has shown us the way forward to overcome our long legacy of mono-cultural thinking through her multicultiral imaginings and cinematic engagements. Come March 2010, PSSM will be hosting its MSC7 in Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang. We shall privilege a special panel to celebrate and pay tribute to works of Yasmin Ahmad.

- AL-FATIHAH -

SEMINAR

2009-08-26T13:16:00.002+08:00

PERSATUAN SAINS SOSIAL MALAYSIA

Akan Mengadakan Satu Forum Bersama Dengan

FAKULTI SAINS SOSIAL UNIVERSITI MALAYA

Mengenai Tajuk:

"THE CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS &

THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES IN MALAYSIA"

Tarikh: 14 Julai 2009 (Selasa)

Masa 9.00 am - 1.00 pm

Tempat: Bilik Mesyuarat Dekan 1

Fakulti Sains Sosial Universiti Malaya

ATURCARA

Panel 1: 9.00 am - 11.00 am

The Current State of Affairs of the Social Sciences in Malaysia

PEMBICARA:

Prof. Dato' Mohamad Abu Bakar

Fakulti Sastera dan Sains Sosial

Universiti Malaya

PENGERUSI:

Prof. Dr. Mohd Hazim Shah

Timbalan Preseiden PSSM

Prof. Fakulti Sains Universiti Malaya

Panel 2: 11.00 am - 1.00 pm

The Future of Social Sciences in Malaysia

PEMBICARA:

Prof. Dato' Dr. Shamsul Amri Baharuddin

(Setiausaha Pengasas PSSM; Pengarah, Institut Kajian Etnik, UKM)

Prof. Dr. Wan Zawawi Ibrahim

Naib Presiden PSSM; Professor Fakulti Sastera & Sains Sosial, Universiti Malaya

PENGERUSI:

Prof. Dr. Jamilah Mohammad

Fakulti Sastera & Sains Sosial, Universiti Malaya

SEMUA DI JEMPUT HADIR

2009-08-26T13:16:00.001+08:00

SEMINAR MEMPERINGATI TOKOH INTELEKTUAL AWAM

DAN PEMIKIR ALLAHYARHAM RUSTAM A. SANI

(1944 - 2008)

Tarikh: 13 Ogos 2009 (Khamis)

Masa: 8.30 am - 1.00 pm

Tempat: Bilik Mesyuarat,

Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemasyarakatan, UKM

-SEMUA DI JEMPUT HADIR-

2009-08-26T13:15:00.005+08:00

PERSATUAN SAINS SOSIAL MALAYSIA &

THE FACULTY OF ARTS & SOCIAL SCIENCE

UNIVERSITI MALAYA

are holding

A BOOK LAUNCH and DISCUSSION STUDIES

ON ISLAM & SOCIETY IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

(NUS Press, Singapore, 2009)

by:

William R. Roff

Author of the classic The Origins of Malay Nationalism

(Yale University Press, 1967)

Date: 30 July 2009 (Thursday)

Time: 10.00 am - 12.00 pm

Venue: Meeting Room, Dean 1,

Faculty of Arts & Social Scicence, UM, KL.

PROGRAMME

10.00 am

Welcoming speech by

Professor Dr. Mohd Redzuan Othman

Dean of Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, UM

by:

Prof. Dato' Dr. Abdul Rahman Embong

President, PSSM

Speech by:

Emeritus Prof. W. R. Roff

Emeritus Professor of History Columbia

University, and Honorary Fellow in Islamic and

Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Edinburgh

10.30am

Intoruducing the Book and Launch

by:

Emertitus Professor Clive S. Kessler

University New South Wales, Australia

11.00 am

Discussion with Author

11.30 am

End of Session

ALL ARE INVITED