History on Repeat #8: The Making of Malaysian Identities

History on Repeat is an eight-part miniseries that aims to delve into key aspects of Malaysian history. While we won’t be able to cover every period and topic in our vast and complex past, we will be having a series of conversations on key subjects, places and themes, and discussing why our history still matters today. In this segment, we’ll be looking at the making of Malaysian identities from the 19th century up to today. Over time, various people, from politicians to playwrights, have conceptualized “Malaysia” and “Malaysians” in diverse ways. While Merdeka in 1957 marks the emergence of Malaysia as an independent nation-state, this is only part of a more complex story.

History on Repeat #1: Archaeology and the Roots of the Malay World

History on Repeat #2: Rethinking Melaka and the Sejarah Melayu

History on Repeat #3: Portuguese and Dutch Legacies in the Malay Peninsula

History on Repeat #4: Nineteenth-Century Women of Malaya

History on Repeat #5: British Malaya through the Lens of Architecture

History on Repeat #6: Migration and the Making of Chinese and Indian Diasporas in Malaysia

History on Repeat #7: Malaya and the Second World War