Imperial alchemy
Subtitle: nationalism and political identity in Southeast Asia
By: Anthony Reid
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 2010
Place of publication: Cambridge, UK; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 248
ISBN-13: 9780521872379; 9780521694124
Description: "The mid-twentieth century marked one of the greatest watersheds of Asian history, when a range of imperial constructs were declared to be nation-states, either by revolution or decolonisation. Nationalism was the great alchemist, turning the base metal of empire into the gold of nations. To achieve such a transformation from the immense diversity of these Asian empires required a different set of forces from those that Europeans had needed in their transitions from multi-ethnic empires to culturally homogeneous nations. In this book Anthony Reid explores the mysterious alchemy by which new political identities have been formed. Taking Southeast Asia as his example, Reid tests contemporary theory about the relation between modernity, nationalism, and ethnic identity. Grappling with concepts emanating from a very different European experience of nationalism, Reid develops his own typology to better fit the formation of political identities such as the Indonesian, Malay, Chinese, Acehnese, Batak and Kadazan"--Provided by publisher.

"In this book Anthony Reid, one of the premier scholars of Southeast Asia, explores the mysterious alchemy by which new political identities have been formed. Taking Southeast Asia as his example, Reid tests contemporary theory about the relation between modernity, nationalism and ethnic identity"--Provided by publisher.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 221-237) and index.
Table of contents: title: Nationalism and Asia; title: Understanding Southeast Asian nationalisms; title: Chinese as a Southeast Asian 'other'; title: Malay (Melayu) and its descendants : multiple meanings of a porous category; title: Aceh : memories of monarchy; title: Sumatran Bataks : from statelessness to Indonesian diaspora; title: Lateforming ethnie in Malaysia : Kadazan or Dusun; title: Imperial alchemy-revolutionary dreams.