The making of Malayans: life-writing and memory work by Wang Gungwu and He Jin

Wai Liang Tham

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-30-2024

Abstract

Using an autobiographical studies framework, this paper outlines the persistence of a Malayan nation-of-intent through contemporary life-writings which revisit the 1950s–60s. The imagined nation constituting the Federation of Malaya and Singapore is central to two texts by ethnic Chinese writers with contrasting ideological leanings—Home is Where We Are by Wang Gungwu and Margaret Wang, and The Mighty Wave by He Jin. As putative citizens of this nation-of-intent, they textually perform nation-building by narrating their involvement in formal institutions and grassroots capacity-building. In outlining key elements of nationhood such as language, political participation, and historical consciousness in both texts, distinct conceptions of Malayan political subjectivities emerge through the performative and relational aspects of both texts. Overall, this paper draws attention to political implications while demonstrating the relevance of the “Malaya as method” approach in literary studies.

Keywords

Twenty-first century Malaysian literature, Singapore, life-writings, Autobiographical studies, National identity, Malaya as method

Divisions

Englisharts

Funders

None

Publication Title

Inter-Asia Cultural Studies

Volume

25

Issue

6

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