Occidental Echoes: Beth Yahp's Ambivalent Malaya

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Category: Arts, Culture & Heritage
Published: Friday, 08 August 2008 04:13
Posted by Pillai, Shanthini

The article discusses the novel "The Crocodile Fury," by Beth Yahp. The novel has won the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards, Sheaffer Pen Prize for First Fiction in 1993, and the New South Wales State Literary Awards. The author argues that there appears to be distinct echoes of occidental myths and metaphors that shape the discursive space of the novel, echoes that suggest the tinge of colonial stereotypes of Malaya. Yahp highlights in the novel the sense of a disconnectedness from ancestral heritage, a part of that being Malaysia. [Download]

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A museum, the city, and a nation.

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Category: Arts, Culture & Heritage
Published: Friday, 08 August 2008 00:12
Posted by Lepawsky, Joshua

The purpose of this article is to understand how a corporate museum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia works to create proleptic myths of nationhood to under-gird a broader state-centric project of nationalist-capitalist modernization. The article examines how these myths are expressed in the museum's design plans and are manifested in the museum's displays and spatial layout. From this analysis it becomes apparent that, first, the museum's designers intend for Malaysian museum-goers to both learn and embody particular myths of national modernization. Second, the museum's displays are dedicated to establishing a Malay-centric origin narrative for the contemporary nation-state. Third, as one moves through the museum, Malay-centrism gives way to narratives of a 'multi-racial' society that link technological modernization with social progress. [Download]

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Challenges of Historic Cities in the New Millennium: Lessons from Malaysia

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Category: Arts, Culture & Heritage
Published: Wednesday, 04 June 2008 21:59
Posted by Badaruddin Mohamed, A. Ghafar Ahmad & Nurwati Badarulzaman

This paper discusses several issues and challenges that confront the future of Malaysia’s historic cities in the new millennium, particularly in the light of rapid growth of new townships, depopulation of historic inner city areas, intensive development pressures as well as changing lifestyles and consumption patterns among city inhabitants and tourists. All these challenges are likely to pose a significant impact on the sustainability of the historic cities in the new millennium. Some historic cities in the country have taken several initiatives to formulate appropriate policy measures and strategies incorporating existing legislations and design guidelines to control and manage future urban issues and problems. The management of visitors and the involvement of the local community in heritage cities are two important aspects also discussed in this paper.  Authors: Badaruddin Mohamed, A. Ghafar Ahmad & Nurwati Badarulzaman.  [Download]
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Ideological-Structural Analysis Micro and Macro Theory of Intercivilizational Dialogue

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Category: Arts, Culture & Heritage
Published: Saturday, 12 July 2008 10:01
Posted by Lopez, Carolina & Tec de Monterrey

The intent of the present article is to provide a theoretical tool to be used in a university textbook titled An Introduction to the World's Faith Traditions and Intercivilizational Dialogue. The theory, Ideological-Structural Analysis, allows for the systematic observation of what occurs within and among interlocutors in the process of intercivilizational dialogue.  Publication: 4th International Malaysian Studies Conference; 3-5 August 2004, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi. Authors: Lopez, Carolina & Tec de Monterrey. [Download]

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The state of digitisation initiatives by cultural institutions in Malaysia: An exploratory survey

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Category: Arts, Culture & Heritage
Published: Saturday, 03 May 2008 14:52

Digitisation of cultural heritage materials is not new in Malaysia. Different types of cultural heritage institutions have embarked on several digitisation projects. Various types of cultural heritage materials have been digitised and made publicly accessible.

Author: Zuraidah Abd Manaf.  [Download]

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