Book chapter
On Being Orang Suku Laut in the Malay World
Nomad-State Relationships in International Relations, pp.217-237
Springer International Publishing
04/07/2020
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-28053-6_11
Abstract
Southeast Asia is a region steeped in long-established maritime traditions, and sea nomadism has prevailed within its waters for centuries. Until today, widely scattered communities of sea nomads can be found across the region. This chapter traces the story of historically changing commitments of power holders in the region’s macro-politics and the stakes they held in forging the rise and decline of the sea nomads. Presently, the wider society sees them as a backward and unprogressive people. In the name of modernization and development, policymakers have tried to forcibly settle and assimilate them. Yet, their continued widespread distribution in Southeast Asia bears testament to their proficiencies to strike- and pushback against state intrusions. An examination of their relationship with space, their adoption of Christianity and Chinese religion as resources to establish modernity as well as their practices of not doing or undoing provide but just a few ethnographic glimpses into their wide-ranging strategies to ward off the State.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- On Being Orang Suku Laut in the Malay World
- Creators
- Cynthia Chou - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Book chapter
- Publication Details
- Nomad-State Relationships in International Relations, pp.217-237
- DOI
- 10.1007/978-3-030-28053-6_11
- Publisher
- Springer International Publishing; Cham
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 04/07/2020
- Academic Unit
- Anthropology; International Programs; Interdisciplinary Programs
- Record Identifier
- 9984269244302771
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