Okinawa and American Colonialism

Abstract

The Ryukyus, surrounded on three sides by major powers of East Asia, are the most strategic outpost of freedom in the Far East. Known as the “Keystone of the Pacific,” Okinawa, the most important island is 800 nautical miles southwest of Tokyo, 325 nautical miles northeast of Taipei, 750 nautical miles northeast of Manila and 700 nautical miles northeast of Hong Kong.     

Regionalism and Colonialism in Contemporary Oceania

Abstract

Regionalism in Oceania emerged in a context shaped both by the decolonisation movement as well as the Cold War, the dynamics of which are still being played out today. This article considers two cases of particular interest in current regional politics which illustrate a number of important contradictions in conventional approaches to the analysis of colonialism. The first involves the two larger French territories in the region – New Caledonia and French Polynesia – which have recently been admitted to full membership of the Pacific Islands Forum despite falling short of the technical requirements for such membership, namely independent status. The second concerns Indonesia’s claim to sovereignty over West Papua. Although this claim has been recognised in international law since 1969, its basis is highly suspect and Indonesia’s record from the start is arguably tantamount to a repressive form of colonialism enabled by the United Nations itself. Placed in comparative perspective, these cases invite us to reconsider just what colonialism on the one hand and self-determination on the other really mean in the contemporary period.     

The Problem of Soviet Colonialism in the Baltics

This essay works through some of the necessary preliminary questions in thinking about Soviet colonialism in the Baltics. It opens by tracing the prehistory of critical thinking about Soviet colonialism in the 1960s and considers why the topic of Soviet colonialism has not (or not yet) become a dominant way to understand Soviet history. The central question posed by the article is whether one can speak about the Soviet invasions of the Baltic States as ‘colonization’. It proposes that, initially, communist Russia did not in fact seek to colonize the Baltic States and instead ‘occupied’ them; however, this initial period of occupation later developed into a period of a colonial rule.     

伊斯兰教与马来西亚政治民主化

马来西亚是伊斯兰国家,其政治发展与种族关系和伊斯兰教息息相关,在政治民主化进程中,种族政治和宗教政治都发挥了重要作用.本文主要通过安瓦尔事件以及伊斯兰党的理念和实践研究伊斯兰教在马来西亚政治民主化中的作用,进而探讨伊斯兰原教旨主义与政治民主化的关系,探讨伊斯兰教能否推动伊斯兰国家的民主化进程.     

《华人与马来西亚现代化进程》评介

20世纪 80年代以来 ,国内学术界对世界现代化问题进行了积极探索与开创性研究 ,推出了一批有代表性的著作。但是迄今为止 ,专门研究东南亚现代化 ,特别是研究马来西亚现代化问题的著作并不多见。韩方明先生撰写的《华人与马来西亚现代化进程》(商务印书馆 2 0 0 2年 10月出版 ,下称《进程》) ,从华人与马来西亚现代化关系生成的角度 ,研究了马来西亚现代化道路的曲折历程。这部著作既总结了作者多年的治学成果 ,又反映了作者在新形势下的创新。笔者在细读这部著作之后 ,发现作者在马来西亚华人和现代化问题研究方面有不少创新之处。《进程》…     

Rethinking Colonialism and the Origins of the Developmental State in East Asia

Previous studies on economic development in East Asia focus exclusively on the recent period (since the 1960s) and posit that East Asian “miracles” were largely a result of the state's exceptional capacity to implement consistent industrial policy. Yet, they neglect the question of the origins of the developmental state. To confront this neglect, this article makes a macro-historical comparison between Northeast and Southeast Asia, highlighting colonialism, the role of income inequality, and subsequent socio-economic transformations. It is argued that a crucial historical phase for new economic trajectory was the decolonisation period when East Asian countries had an opportunity to break away from negative colonial legacies. This article sheds new light on the ways in which colonialism shapes long-term economic development in East Asia.     

Money politics in Malaysia

This article discusses the issue of money politics in Malaysia over the past two decades. Firstly, it looks at the concept of money politics in Malaysia and how it is being perpetuated. Secondly, it discusses the relevant laws in Malaysia that could contain money politics. Lastly, the article concludes that Malaysia has the relevant laws to control money politics, but they have not been enforced properly. Therefore, money politics has been allowed to persist rampantly in Malaysia.     

Media freedom in Malaysia

This article discusses the contemporary issue of media freedom in Malaysia. First, it discusses the concept of freedom of the press and determines which theories, Libertarian, Social Responsibility, or Authoritarian, are suitable in the context of analysing the real situation of media freedom in Malaysia. Second, by using the list of media freedom criteria from the Department of Journalistic Studies, Missouri University, US, analysis has been done to measure the situation of media freedom in Malaysia. Third, the article tries to show the latest movements and lobbies internally and externally in supporting the media freedom in Malaysia. To conclude the current situation, the Malaysian government has restricted media freedom for the purpose of national security and political stability. However, this article clearly shows that media in Malaysia has been controlled by the government and media companies associated with government leaders for political survivability of ruling government party and leaders to hold the power.     

马来西亚的哇扬戏

哇扬戏是马来西亚有名的传统民间戏剧,它在剧目、表演、人物和故事等方面都既有自己的特点,又与泰国和印尼的皮影戏有共同之处。探讨东南亚影戏之间的异同,也可以看出一些文化交流的规律。     

马来西亚的印尼劳工问题

印尼劳工大量流入马来西亚,并构成亚洲劳工移民的重要组成部分。20世纪90年代,马来西亚取代沙特阿拉伯成为印尼劳工海外移民最多的国家。随着在马来西亚的印尼劳工数量的不断增加,特别是非法印尼劳工的增加,在马来西亚的印尼劳工问题越来越受到马来西亚政府、媒体和民众的关注,甚至影响到两国的外交关系,成为危及两国关系的非传统安全问题。本文将探讨在马来西亚的印尼劳工的基本状况、印尼劳工流入马来西亚的原因、非法印尼劳工进入马来西亚的途径以及印尼劳工问题对两国关系的影响。     

浅析马来西亚的农村发展政策与战略

农村的发展在马来西亚经济以及社会、政治的发展中都占有很重要的地位.马来西亚农村的基本特点包括贫困率高、生产率低、缺乏最基本的经济和社会福利设施以及市场不发达等.马来西亚农村经济是以农业为基础的,所以以农村改革为主的马来西亚农村发展政策一直都是农村经济结构转型和消除农村贫困的主要政策工具.自独立以来马来西亚的农村发展取得了很大的成就,但是农村贫困问题以及部门之间和部门内部的发展不平衡问题仍然比较突出.因此,到今天农村的发展依然是马来西亚经济发展的重要内容.     

伊斯兰原教旨主义与马来西亚穆斯林妇女

伊斯兰原教旨主义推动了马来西亚社会和政治的伊斯兰化,并影响到马来穆斯林妇女的权利和地位.本文从分析伊斯兰原教旨主义妇女观入手,探讨马来西亚政府、政党、宗教部门和非政府组织如何从法律、法特瓦、政策、宣传来规范妇女的行为,并分析联邦政府与州政府、执政党与反对党、乌来玛与非政府组织围绕妇女权利展开的争论和斗争.     

Constituency Delimitation and Electoral Authoritarianism in Malaysia

This article explains how the electoral one-party state of United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in Malaysia is maintained through constituency delimitation. It examines how the means of inter-state malapportionment, intra-state malapportionment, gerrymandering, pre-delimitation boundary changes and seat increase are used in the on-going delimitation exercises. Malapportionment and gerrymandering in the last cycle of delimitation exercises in 2003–5 had secured Prime Minister Najib Razak a comfortable 60% parliamentary majority in 2013 despite winning only 47% of popular votes. While Razak may suffer greater attrition of votes due to his global financial scandal involving Malaysia’s state sovereign fund, 1MDB, he may still win a bigger parliamentary majority in the upcoming election, which must be held latest by August 2018. The article questions if the First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) electoral system, which is not only susceptible to manipulations, but also very winner-takes-all in nature, suits Malaysia’s plural society.