The Politics of Multiculturalism and Nation Building: Managing Cultural Diversity in Malaysia.

Mohd Any, Azrul Anaz (2012) The Politics of Multiculturalism and Nation Building: Managing Cultural Diversity in Malaysia. PhD thesis, Lancaster University.

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Abstract

The issues and challenges facing multicultural societies around the globe could plausibly be argued to be similar in nature. The demand for recognition by certain segments or compartments in society calls for further examination of these demands and how the demands fit with the politics adopted by the respective states. However, the social, political and economic landscape of each particular society has a bearing on the policies formulated to address these issues and challenges. This has given rise to terms such as plural society, multicultural society, multi-ethnic and multi-religious societies to indicate the existence of such variants in a society. As for Malaysia, its colonial experience can be identified as one of the factors that contributed to the formation of a multicultural society and later to the formulation of policies which sustained the formation of a multicultural identity. Nevertheless, the main issue and challenge facing multicultural Malaysia is to grapple with the idea of national integration. Does this indicate that by recognising multiculturalism means that one has to face the issue and challenges of national integration? It is here that one would normally argue for an assimilationist approach to be adopted in order to ensure national integration. It is my hope that this dissertation is able to highlight the issues and challenges facing multicultural Malaysia and to make some contribution to addressing the issues and challenges faced.