Formation of Social Sciences in Malaysia: Contesting Meanings of “Plural” in Malaysian Studies

This essay considers the formation of Malaysian social sciences from the viewpoint of the concept of “plural”. It argues the concepts such as “plural society,” “multiculturalism,” and “cultural pluralism,” which often emerge in the analysis of Malayan and Malaysian society. Malaysia has illustrated many types of selfportrait through the concepts of “plural”. The concept of “plural” was firstly introduced by J. S. Furnivall and then developed through the formation of area studies centered on the United States after the World War II. It was relevant to the problem of national integration and modernization. In the 1970s and 1980s the concept of “plural” began to contain a positive image, influenced by ethnic studies and multiculturalism. In the 1990s, under the context of postcolonial criticism the concept of “plural” is interpreted as “hybridity” that undermines boundaries.