Debate "Illuminating contemporary Malaysia. Singularity, challenges and projections in a changing Southeast Asia", April 1

Event organized by the CERI-Sciences Po, the Institut de Recherche sur l'Asie du Sud-Est Contemporaine-IRASEC (MEAE, CNRS), the Centre d'études en sciences sociales sur les mondes africains, américains et asiatiques - CESSMA (Inalco, Université Paris Cité, IRD) , and the Centre Asie du Sud-Est - CASE (Inalco, EHESS, CNRS).

Friday, April 1, 2022 - 10:00-12:30 - CERI-Sciences PO - Salle Jean Monnet
CERI-Sciences PO, 56 rue Jacob, 75006 Paris
Entrée libre

Enlightening contemporary Malaysia. Singularity, issues and projections within transforming Southeast Asia

Around the bookContemporary Malaysia
Collection monographies nationales
Directed by David Delfolie, Nathalie Fau, Elsa Lafaye de Micheaux
Irasec and Les Indes Savantes, Paris, October 2021

Among the states of Southeast Asia, Malaysia is one of the most misunderstood: from a historical trajectory devoid of major geopolitical crises both domestically and in world affairs, and an economic prosperity that has fostered stable political power, Malaysia is a blind spot in social science research. And yet, both continental and insular, with a cultural diversity influenced by Asia's most important civilizations (Muslim, Chinese and Indian), of medium size but considered an emerging country, the Federation of Malaysia is at the heart of Southeast Asia and its issues.

Social science debates on Malaysia remain exceptional in France, and publications on this country have rarely been the subject of presentation. The recent publication of the book co-edited by David Delfolie, Nathalie Fau and Elsa Lafaye de Micheaux and published by IRASEC and Indes Savantes offers us the opportunity.

This event aims to present the latest research on this country to a varied audience (researchers, diplomats, students, journalists and representatives of the business world, notably the France-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce).

The fruit of an unprecedented collaboration between French-speaking and Malaysian researchers, the monograph analyzes the singularity of a Malaysian model that has so much to contribute empirically and theoretically to the understanding of social phenomena. Its originality also lies in its interdisciplinary nature, bringing together geographers, economists, anthropologists, historians, political scientists and literature specialists. The book presents the specific features of domestic and foreign policies, dominated by diplomatic, regional and security issues; it reveals the originality of an extroverted economic growth framed by a rentier, investor and redistributor state; and it questions the consequences of these political choices on the spatial organization of a country marked by strong territorial disparities, proximity to the sea and the power of cities.

The presentation will be given by the book's three directors, Nathalie Fau, David Delfolie and Elsa Lafaye de Micheaux, with Louise Beauval, Sophie Boisseau du Rocher, Frédéric Bouchon, Théo Férignac, Eric Frécon and Clotilde Luquiau, co-authors.

Chaired by Xavier Driencourt, former French ambassador to Malaysia and Algeria, the discussion will be moderated by Benoît de Tréglodé (IRSEM, former director of IRASEC) and David Camroux (CERI). IRASEC, the CNRS research center in Southeast Asia (Bangkok), will be represented by its current director, Jérôme Samuel (Inalco) and Christine Cabasset (online).

These exchanges will provide an opportunity to consider the contemporary issues at stake in a Malaysia which, after the democratic hopes raised by the historic parliamentary alternation of May 2018, has entered a period of great uncertainty since February 2020.

Organization:
David Delfolie, Sciences Po Lille, Institut Pondok Perancis
Nathalie Fau, Université de Paris, CESSMA
Elsa Lafaye de Micheaux, Université Rennes 2, CASE
David Camroux, CERI, Sciences Po.