Critical Studies of the Asia Pacific Series. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013. xiii, 267 pp. (Tables, figures.) US$90.00, cloth. ISBN 978-1-137-29837-9.
Globalization has spawned many “glocal” responses, as discussed for Australia and Malaysia by the contributors to this volume. Local experiences of transformations, whether technological, social, or pertaining to human rights have been variously addressed under alternative patterns of governance and interpretations. The micro-processes, whether in terms of capital, or “justice-oriented institutional reforms” move beyond market reforms to consider how governance, class structure, gender relations, multi-culturalism, migration, and education have been addressed in Malaysia and Australia. The papers in this volume reveal contrasting social dimensions of human rights policies in the past and the present. For Malaysia, the stress is on communities’ reactions to the global/glocal impact, while for Australia the stress is on individual reactions. Democracy is a latent theme.
The editors have strengthened the contrasting contributions by ensuring that different dimensions of local transformations of global policies and practices are balanced. The differential impacts of Australian and Malaysian human values provide clear indicators of how the “glocal” is emerging through reformulating global policies to suit local values. Each paper provides a succinct overview of social transformations for that particular nation in both past and present time, while also linking to the other papers.
The paradox of building distinct national identities on multi-ethnic bases within a globalizing ideology provides a base for interpreting local regulations and civic policies. These impact on social inclusiveness of immigrants in both nations; that both Malaysia and Australia are “nations of immigrants” is subtly marginalized here. Religious beliefs, education policies, multi-culturalism and international networks have all undergone compromises to emerge with local features, yet within worldwide trends.
The market is present, but sub-liminal to local concerns regarding social justice. The pursuit of economic advantages within Australian political policy (Thurbon, 85) is contrasted here with Malaysia’s assertion of Asian values based on communitarian ideals of harmony and consensus (Tazreiter, 3). Alternative means of keeping human rights, social justice, and gender equality on each political agenda are concerns that each government is addressing, albeit obliquely. The ideals behind democracy as variously interpreted lead to illustrations by contributors of ways in which processes of strengthening a “glocal” strategy is providing a preferred alternative to globalization, while also maintaining awareness of worldwide concerns. Local values, particularly national identities, are key to local development concerns.
Multi-culturalism is a key concern in several of the papers. For Australia, Levey argues that “liberal nationalism” absorbs diversity, leading to “more complex assimilation with selective immigration” (132). The contributions of Aborigines as first peoples in Australia, are barely mentioned, while the Bumiputera (“read Malay”) versus non-Bumiputera dichotomy has been marginalized in a policy of affirmative action for the majority, i.e., non-Bumiputera Malays (Ting, 123). Is multi-culturalism passé?
The impacts of transnational institutions, from the World Health Organisation to the Coca-Cola Company, have intruded with western, Christian values of development imposed on developing nations. But those nations are now reacting in their own ways. Global values established expectations for the growth of economic opportunities, including higher education, whether at home or abroad (Ragayah Haji Mat Zin, ch. 16). But competition for international students in both countries is highlighting the need for greater support for intercultural communication within the institutions and their surrounding communities (Pe-Pua and Tran, ch. 15).
There are concerns whether cultural preservation of religious identities as these emerge from both immigration and social awareness is being addressed within both nations’ multi-cultural policies, as Levey and Ting and others refer to in their papers. Ethnic diversity—long experienced in Malaysia as it emerged from Malaya, but more recently in Australia as it adjusts its White Australia policy—has contributed, the authors argue, to variations of democratic processes. Nation building inclusive of ethnic minorities has produced tensions between Malay, Chinese, and Indian communities, as well introduced Islamic religious influences (117). Use of the English language as adjunct to glocal experiences of cultural globalization merits further attention.
Borders feature prominently in these discussions of Australian and Malaysian modes of governance to incorporate local states within larger entities. In chapter 2, Benjamin Reilly shows how security to “keep each nation state safe” presents both threats and opportunities, as Malaysia exercises its need for political economic networks with its neighbours, e.g., ASEAN and other regional entities. Security for Australia means strict border controls, particularly to exclude asylum seekers arriving by boat on their western shores from Iran, Afghanistan, and elsewhere in Asia. Linda Bartolomei and Eileen Pittaway argue how diverting them offshore to a “Malaysia Solution,” as an alternative to the “Pacific Solution,” has invoked strong civil society advocates for refugees’ human rights, a position rejected by Australian immigration authorities (159). Maintaining internal security while addressing the influx of both regular and “irregular” migrants in Malaysia (Ullah, ch. 12) necessitates prioritizing human rights to avoid exploitation, as well as protecting national resources, values, and identities (Tazreiter, ch. 11). Ironically, borders that serve to clarify distinct national and other identities have become significant for newly developing states at the same time as they are being drawn into globalized markets. Migrants as well as goods have become contentious aspects of democracy where local concerns of justice must be considered.
International networks, such as ASEAN (Levey, ch. 9; Nathan, ch. 3), are blurring borders for both Australia and Malaysia, as they draw newly independent nations into wider political-economic networks (Reilly, ch. 2). Australia’s geographical position as an island adds a new dimension to conceptualizing the political extent of Asia, while the region undergoes rescaling of modes of governance. Forms of democracy that allow for local variants, such as gendered family relations, Shari’ah law (199–201), and middle class aspirations (ch. 4, 5), are all integral to acceptance of glocal concerns, both internally and internationally.
This volume has been carefully edited to ensure authors address historical as well as contemporary issues, and consider the perspectives of other nations. It offers a welcome clarification of social transformations shared, but distinctive, between near neighbours on both international and local scales. Readers will find clear arguments for local considerations as the Asia region expands its influence and its interpretation of globalizing processes.
Nancy Pollock
Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand (retired)
pp. 311-313