The Malaysian intellectual: A brief historical overview of the discourse

Johnson, Deborah (2009) The Malaysian intellectual: A brief historical overview of the discourse. SARI: Jurnal Alam dan Tamadun Melayu, 27 . pp. 13-26. ISSN 0127-2721

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Abstract

This paper focuses on the discourse in Malaysia concerning intellectuals. It asserts that in concert with political and sociological changes, the ‘field of meanings’ associated with the concept of ‘the intellectual’ and the actual social location of intellectual actors have undergone considerable change during the twentieth century. This flags the challenge for historians who are telling today’s stories about the past in today’s terms, but who have to try to understand that past on its own terms. Further, it flags the challenge for social scientists to not merely appropriate the concepts of past scholars in tying to understand the present, but rather to also understand the context in which those ideas had relevance. Along the way, this paper gives glimpses of the circumstances, motivations and contributions of a number of leading Malaysian intellectual figures

Item Type:Article
Keywords:A Samad Ismail; intellectuals; discourse; Malay World
Journal:International Journal of the Malay World and Civilisation (Formerly SARI)
ID Code:1150
Deposited By: Ms. Nor Ilya Othman
Deposited On:11 May 2011 04:49
Last Modified:14 Dec 2016 06:28

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