Introduction: Diversity of Nation-building in East and Southeast Asia
Abstract: The current issue of the European Journal of East Asian Studies addresses the topic of nation-building. It has been chosen because the term ‘nation-building’ has been revived, so to speak, in the social sciences as well as in anthropology and history, for several reasons. It has also become a common term these days in the arena of international politics; its notion is positive and clearly distinguished from more ‘alarming’ terms such as ‘nationalism’. In the field of international relations, nation-building has gained a prominent position in the debate on failing or even failed states, conflict management and development theory. It is legitimate to say that nation-building has re-entered the debate, for it had been relegated to the backbenches during the latter half of the Cold War period—at least in the perception of Western observers. In Asia and particularly in the post-colonial nation-states of South and Southeast Asia, however, nation-building has been a constant part of the political agenda since the 1950s. The articles in this volume relate to this importance. The Western world turned its eyes back towards nation-building when the great conflict areas of the 1990s, such as Somalia, the Balkans, Afghanistan and lately Iraq, offered a gruesome picture of what state failure and societal fragmentation can mean to the inhabitants of an entity called a nation-state. On an international level, nation-building is currently discussed from an instrumental perspective. As Jochen Hippler points out, nation-building is regarded ‘either as a preventive political option to avoid the break-up of the state and social fragmentation, as an alternative to military conflict management, as part of military interventions or as an element of post-conflict policies’.1 The instrumental character is obviously emphasised by external observers of processes of nation-building rather than by insiders. The view from within a
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TL;DR: This paper examined the cultural homogenization process in Brunei Darussalam and found that the Dusuns generally accept the homogenisation with a sporadic indication of contestation mainly due to the observable decline of ethnic culture and language.
Abstract: This paper examines the cultural homogenization process in Brunei Darussalam. While the success and outcomes of cultural homogenization, in general, have been thoroughly examined and highlighted, recent research trends have also been focusing more on the processes of cultural homogenization on the ground, i.e., the responses and reactions of ordinary people who are, supposedly, at the receiving end of the homogenization process. In the case of Brunei Darussalam (hereinafter Brunei), cultural homogenization strategies were introduced as early as the 1950s, primarily for state-building purposes. Similar to conventional writings, official narratives of Brunei’s homogenization also focus more on the outcomes of the process. Thus, focusing on the Dusun ethnic group as its case study, this article questions the ways the Dusuns view and respond to the homogenization process. This study utilizes the interview data gathered from thirty-four Dusun respondents to examine how they perceive, understand, and react toward the process and related policies. The findings of the study suggest that the Dusuns generally accept the homogenization with a sporadic indication of contestation mainly due to the observable decline of ethnic culture and language. Modernization has also been identified as a notable agent, integrating successfully with the homogenizing process, and driving the latter to the desired outcomes.
01 Jan 2013
TL;DR: This study shows how local Minahasan and Christian ELT teachers perceive the appropriate and relevant cultural values contained in teaching materials and implement the materials adaptation for their multiethnic students in university context.
Abstract: Inclusion in the Indonesian context means the participation of minority ethnic and religious groups within the dominant Javanese and Muslim society. The issues of ethnic and religious inclusion are discussed in a case study: teaching materials in tertiary education context. This case study looks into how Minahasan ethnic group and Christian affiliated English lecturers in Manado adapt the content of ELT materials in relation to their multiethnic students with different religious backgrounds. Their awareness of the importance of teaching materials adaptation and better interaction between lecturers and students enhance better understanding of what should be done regarding their students’ ethnic and religious backgrounds. In relation to the issues of inclusion explained above, this case study explores how within the dominant Javanese and Muslim society of Indonesia, a region where Minahasan and Christian majority still prevails. This study shows how local Minahasan and Christian ELT teachers perceive the appropriate and relevant cultural values contained in teaching materials and implement the materials adaptation for their multiethnic students in university context.