CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE ON SOUTHEAST ASIA: CONTEMPORARY POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT IN SOUTHEAST ASIA 11:00AM – 11:50AM, AUGUST 10, 2013 SAN MARCOS HIGH SCHOOL TEXAS ALLIANCE FOR GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION Dr. Hyun Jung Yun Political Science, Ph.D. Journalism and Mass Communication, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Political Science Texas State University
Through the Eyes of Others
Crossroads of the World
The Roots of Contemporary Politics Common Experience (Political & Non-Political) Heavy Borrowing (Lacks definite borders) -External and inter-regional influence -Economic development Diversity -Ethnicities -Languages -Religions
The Outputs of Contemporary Politics: Common Political Experience Western Colonialism (Anti-Imperial) Nationalism for independence Cold War trauma -Japanese occupation & Superpower rivalry -Internal ideological struggle -Interstate conflict -> Border Disputes -> Constant Communist and Anti-Communist Movement -> Genocide
The Outputs of Contemporary Politics: Common Non-Political Experience Arrival and expansion of non-native religions (12th -17th) Western ideas of Modernity (16th-20th) -Civilization -Capitalism -Democracy Economic transition (1980~) -International labor market -Rapid economic growth -China -> Politically more vulnerable to international market.
The Outputs of Contemporary Politics: People and Language Hundreds of minority groups / National and local languages Negative stereotypes against different ethnicities Less educated Strong sense of the village -agricultural village as the unit of identity -family farm -patron-client ties -> Nutritious condition for isolated/ corrupted/ dictator- friendly/ communism-centered political systems
The Outputs of Contemporary Politics: Religions Religious Values -Buddhist culture -Islamic culture -Animistic culture -Confucianist culture -> Hierarchical political systems
No Ways Border issues Ethnic cleansing/ Genocide Human Right Poverty Common issues, but different paths
In the Minds of Others - Tragedy, Violence, Exploitation - Less frequency - More in-depth commentaries - Battleground -> Marketplace - More complex and sensational - Stereotypical images
Ways Infrastructure Investment -> Intra- and Inter-regional trade and economy Separation between religions, business, and politics Asian Values -Harmony -Consensus -Hierarchy -Communitarianism