Crossing Ethnic Borders in Malaysia Measuring the Fluidity of Ethnic Identity and Group Formation

MANSOR MOHD NOOR (Universiti Sains Malaysia, mansormohdnoor@yahoo.com)

Abstract


Scholars studying ethnic and race relations often locate the question of identity and group formation as given and unaltered (Geertz 1963) while Barth (1969), Banton (1983) and Shamsul (1996) have been arguing that no group maintains itself. This article belongs to the latter academic tradition in having to understand the multi-ethnic Malaysian society not only at the macro but also the micro levels; it analyses both the group and individual alignments, as well as the authority-defined and the everyday defined identities. Data collected from five studies carried out in the Klang Valley and Penang between 1990 and 1998 is utilised to show that universalistic norms of self interest over-ride the concern for ethnic preference. Respondents show that they share some common values and their interactions cross ethnic borders. Pluralism is an accepted social reality in Malaysia and ethnicity is secondary rather than primary.

Key words: identity, group formation, universalistic norms, ethnic preference, ethnicity

ABSTRAK

Para sarjana yang mengkaji hubungan etnik dan ras sering mengatakan persoalan identiti dan pembentukan kumpulan sesuatu yang terberi dan tidak berubah (Geertz 1963) manakala Barth (1969), Banton (1983) dan Shamsul (1996) telah mengutarakan hujah bahawa tiada kumpulan yang boleh kekal. Artikel ini tergolong dalam tradisi akademik yang kedua dalam percubaannya untuk memahami masyarakat Malaysia yang berbilang etnik. Artikel ini meneliti peringkat makro dan juga mikro, peringkat ikatan kumpulan dan juga individu, dan peringkat takrifan penguasa dan juga takrifan harian. Data daripada lima kajian yang dijalankan di Lembah Kelang dan Pulau Pinang dari tahun 1990 hingga 1998 digunakan untuk membuktikan bahawa norma sejagat tentang kepentingan diri lebih diutamakan daripada pilihan etnik. Responden juga menunjukkan mereka berkongsi nilai dan perhubungan mereka melintasi batas etnik masing-masing. Pluralisme telah diterima sebagai satu realiti sosial negara dan identiti etnik adalah sekunder dan bukan primer.

Kata kunci: identiti, pembentukan kumpulan, norma sejagat, pilihan etnik, etnisiti


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