What it means to be "Malay" - Confronting the Diversity & Contradiction

Written by best-selling author Anthony Milner, Basham Professor of Asian History at the Australian National University, The Malays adds to his collection of writings on Malays Studies – which include titles such as The Invention of Politics in Colonial Malaya (1995, 2002), and Kerajaan: Malay Political Culture on the Eve of Colonial Rule (1982).

“When we try to talk of ‘the Malays’ as a people, it is not just a matter of varying social and economic situations, and their differing degrees of political influence. Rather, the whole concept of what it means to be ‘Malay’ is an idea in motion and can vary from one region to another. To more effectively understand this multiplicity and its implications, it is essential to focus as much on the idea of ‘Malayness’ as it is to cast the spotlight on ‘the Malays’ as a people”, said Milner.

The Malays confronts questions about what we mean by ‘ethnicity’, ‘race’,’ culture’ and ‘civilization’. By exploring the Malay presence in Southeast Asia as well as in countries such as Sri Lanka and South Africa, the book offers a fresh insight into the construction of group identities, the history of the Malay civilization and possible future of the Malay ethnicity.

Just who is ‘Malay’ and what it is to be ‘Malay’ remain open questions. Taking the time to consider what it can mean to be ‘Malay’ also offers us the opportunity to hear a ‘Malay’ view on the profound issue of how we should best classify humankind – and if we should, in fact, be doing so at all.

“It is this diversity and contention that makes ‘Malay Studies’ so interesting”, added Milner.

_____________________________________________
About The Malays
ISBN: 1-44443-0509-3 • Publication Date: November, 2008 • Cloth • Pages: 312 • US $ 89.95
The Table of Contents and additional information about the book is available on: http://as.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-063117222X.html
Media wishing to request a Review copy of the book should contact Alina Boey, Senior Manager Corporate Communications at aboey@wiley.com or phone +65-96565580.

About the Author
Anthony Milner is Basham Professor of Asian History at the Australian National University, and was Visiting Professor at The Research Institute for the Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (Tokyo) in 2007. He has also held appointments as Raffles Visiting Professor of History at the National University of Singapore and Visitor at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. His writings on 'the Malays' include The Invention of Politics in Colonial Malaya (1995, 2002), and Kerajaan: Malay Political Culture on the Eve of Colonial Rule (1982). He is a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia.

***

About Wiley
Founded in 1807, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. has been a valued source of information and understanding for 200 years, helping people around the world meet their needs and fulfill their aspirations. Since 1901, Wiley and its acquired companies have published the works of more than 350 Nobel laureates in all categories: Literature, Economics, Physiology or Medicine, Physics, Chemistry and Peace.

Our core businesses publish scientific, technical, medical and scholarly journals, encyclopedias, books, and online products and services; professional/trade books, subscription products, training materials, and online applications and websites; and educational materials for undergraduate and graduate students and lifelong learners. Wiley's global headquarters are located in Hoboken, New Jersey, with operations in the U.S., Europe, Asia, Canada, and Australia. The Company's Web site can be accessed at http://www.wiley.com. The Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols JWa and JWb.

About Wiley-Blackwell
Wiley-Blackwell was formed in February 2007 as a result of the acquisition of Blackwell Publishing Ltd. by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., and its merger with Wiley’s Scientific, Technical, and Medical business. Together, the companies have created a global publishing business with deep strength in every major academic and professional field. Wiley-Blackwell publishes approximately 1,400 scholarly peer-reviewed journals and an extensive collection of books with global appeal. For more information on Wiley-Blackwell, please visit www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell or http://interscience.wiley.com.

***END***