Malaysia: The Making of a Nation
Reviews
"... a great contribution to revitalising the political discourse in Malaysia... In a mere 263 pages, [the author] surveys the twists and turns of Malaysian politics from 1945 to 2002 in highly readable fashion. It is testimony to his mastery of story-telling skills in the grand tradition of Ssu-ma Ch'ien and Thucydides" (Malaysiakini.com).
"This work offers an accessible introduction to modern Malaysian history, outlining the significant challenges faced by the country's first four prime ministers. It is written in clear, non-academic prose, and should appeal to the lay reader and the specialist alike" (Pacific Affairs).
"... he has produced a book that is a tribute to the discipline, skill, and humanity of the historian. Malaysia: The Making of a Nation is reliable, readable, and thoughtful, and, in addressing contentious issues, Professor Cheah Boon Kheng has reached balanced judgements" (JMBRAS).
About the publication
The study focuses on Malaysia's four Prime Ministers as nation-builders, observing that each one of them when he became Prime Minister was transformed from being the head of the Malay party, UMNO, to that of the leader of a multi-ethnic nation. Each began his political career as an "exclusivist" Malay nationalist but eventually ended up re-inventing himself as an "inclusivist" Malaysian nationalist.
Contents
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Malaysia: The Making of a Nation
[Whole Publication, ISBN: 9789812305145] -
Preliminary pages
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Introduction
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1. 1945-57: Malay Dominance and the Making of a Malay "Nation-State"
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2. 1957-2001: The "Bargain" and Contesting Nationalisms
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3. 1957-70: "Pluralism" in Nation-Building during the Tunku's Administration
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4. 1970-76: Malay Dominance, Economic Integration and National Unity under Tun Razak
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5. 1976-81: National Unity and Islamic Fundamentalism under Hussein Onn
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6. 1981-2001: The Changing Face of Mahathir's Nationalism and Nation-Building
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7. Epilogue
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Chronology, Bibliography, Index, The Author
