The British Presence in the Malay World: A Meeting of Civilizational Traditions

Caballero, Carolina López, (2001) The British Presence in the Malay World: A Meeting of Civilizational Traditions. Sari (ATMA), 19 . pp. 3-33. ISSN 0127-2721

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Affiliations

Northern Arizona University

Abstract

This article examines points of convergence and divergence in values, assumptions and interpretations underlying historical encounters between the British and the Melayu traditions in colonial Malaya. It proposes that in addition
to examining power relations between them, it is necessary to uncover the largely unconscious paradigmatic assumptions causing them to view and value the same phenomena in radically different ways. The basic proposition of the
study is that the British colonizers and the Melayu brought different internalized filters within themselves to the critical junctures – or the actual encounters occurring between the two groups. These differences in interpretative
mechanisms, held largely below the level of consciousness, constitute an often unexamined source of tension and misunderstanding among groups from diverse traditions. It is the author’s hope that attention given to convergence
and divergence in underlying values and interpretative mechanisms may be of use in resolving conflict between different traditions, which presently pose a grave challenge to the world today.

Rencana ini mengkaji titik pertemuan dan perbezaan dalam nilai, andaian dan tafsiran yang mendasari pertembungan sejarah antara tradisi British dengan Melayu di zaman penjajahan Malaya dahulu. Kajian ini mengusulkan bahawa selain mengkaji hubungan kuasa antara kedua-duanya, adalah perlu untuk menemui andaian paradigmatik yang sebahagian besarnya bersifat tersirat dan membuat kedua-dua pihak memandang dan menilai gejala yang sama itu berbeza sama sekali. Andaian asas kajian ini ialah penjajah British
dan orang Melayu mempunyai penapis dalaman yang berbeza menghadapi isu kritikal. Perbezaan dalam mekanisma membuat penafsiran itu, biasanya tanpa disedari itulah merupakan sumber ketegangan dan juga salah faham yang tidak dikaji di kalangan kumpulan daripada tradisi yang berbeza-beza
itu. Penulis harap perhatian yang diberi kepada pertemuan dan perbezaan yang mendasari nilai dan mekanisma penafsiran itu besar nilainya dalam menyelesaikan konflik antara tradisi daripada budaya yang berlainan, yang menimbulkan cabaran besar kepada dunia hari ini.

Item Type:

Journal

Keywords:

Dualat, piracy, revenue, Slavery, internalized belief system, Malays, belief systems

Subjects:

H Social Sciences, Economics, Sociology
P Language and Literature

ID Code:

7360