Diversity in Southeast Asian History

Beginning to Understanding Southeast Asia Through Its Differences

Mar 6, 2009

The diversity within the Southeast Asian region in various aspects is a starting point to understanding its history.

The Southeast Asian region is located north of Australia, south of China, and east of India. Countries considered Southeast Asian nations include:

A study of Southeast Asian history typically involves exploring and examining the concerns and developments of these particular nations over time. One aspect which immediately comes across is the sense of diversity, not only among the countries, but within them too.

This diversity is a product of centuries of historical development, not simply by dynamics within the various tribes and monarchies existent from the 1300s onwards, but also enhanced by a maritime environment which facilitated external influences in the form of trade and exploration from countries such as China or the Netherlands.

Singapore is one such example of ethnic diversity. Although the island’s inhabitants were predominantly Malays, diversity has markedly increased with its status as an immigrant nation ever since its days as a British colony from 1819.

As of 2007, Singapore, as cited by the Singapore Infomap, comprises of 75.1% Chinese, 13.7 Malays, and 8.7% Indians. There is also an European community. Even within these broad classifications, there are further distinctions. Chinese come from various dialect groups such as Hokkien or Cantonese, and there are Tamils, Hindis, and other groups within the Indian community.

There is great religious diversity within Southeast Asia. Some religions include:

Roman Catholicism is especially strong within the Philippines, which is also a mark of its past influence under Spanish rule.

Countries with a strong Muslim influence include Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Christianity in the region is examined in books such as Christianity in Southeast Asia, published in 2005 by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.

Hinduism’s strong heritage is exemplified in Cambodia’s famous landmark, the Angkor Wat temple.

The listing is not exhaustive, and religion is a complex subject, crossing national and ethnic boundaries.

For instance, the same religion might be practiced differently in different territorial regions, such as the form of Buddhism in Laos and Thailand.

Religion is not only a personal way of life, but has also often had implications on development, such as Indonesia, where a topic of intense debate since the 1940s is the role of Islam within Indonesian politics.

Some languages spoken include: English, Mandarin, Thai, Vietnamese, Malay and Tamil, among others. English is an important language, and its literacy is emphasised as many countries increasingly seek to integrate with the world in areas such as economic and scientific fields.

However, local languages are still important for going about daily life, as well as the communication of values and traditions over generations. The tussle between the two is often played out within educational policies. Examples include Malaysia’s change of medium of instruction in teaching of maths and science from Malay to English since 2002, as well as Singapore’s continual tinkering of its bilingual education policy.

Similarities

Despite vast diversity in many aspects of Southeast Asian life, its study as a single region is logical, not only because of geographical proximity but also due to common historical events which are played out in the region.

A Short History of South-east Asia (3rd edition) by Peter Church (published 2003)

The Emergence of Modern Southeast Asia Edited by Normal G. Owen et al. (published 2005)

The copyright of the article Diversity in Southeast Asian History in SE Asian History is owned by Jing Heng Fong. Permission to republish Diversity in Southeast Asian History in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.