Adaptability and Fatalism as Southeast Asian Cultural Traits

Frank Dhont

doi:10.22801/svn.2017.9.2.35

This paper will concentrate on how various particular Southeast Asian conditions created a distinct Southeast Asian cultural identity despite a very challenging geographical and historical diversity in the region. The paper will argue that Southeast Asians demonstrate an ability to adapt to changes and new values but also exhibit fatalism through a very high degree of passive acceptance to political and other changes that affect their society. The paper identifies a degree of environmental and geographical uniqueness in Southeast Asia that shapes context and gives rise to very distinct cultural traits. The historical transformation in the region brought about by colonialism and nationalism, combined with this geographical and political make-up of the region, had an immense impact on Southeast Asian society as it fostered adaptability. Finally, the political transitions brought about by various conflicts and wars that continued to affect the area in rapid succession all throughout the 20th century likewise contributed immensely to a local Southeast Asian fatalistic response towards change. Historically, Southeast Asia demonstrated these socio-cultural responses to such an extent that these are argued to permeate the region forming a distinct aspect of Southeast Asian culture.

Citation status

KCI Citation Counts (0)
REFERENCES (18)
열림/닫힘 버튼
* 2022년 이후 발행 논문의 참고문헌은 현재 구축 중입니다.

[book] Akashi, Yoji / 1945 / New Perspectives on the Japanese Occupation in Malaya and Singapore, 1941-1945 / NUS Press

[report] Booth, Anne / 1990 / The Economic Development of Southeast Asia, 1870-1985 / Monash University : ~

[book] Cheah, Boon Kheng / 1983 / Red Star over Malaya: Resistance and Social Conflict During and After the Japanese Occupation of Malaya, 1941-46 / NUS Press

[book] Curtin, Philip D. / 1984 / Cross-cultural Trade in World History / Cambridge University Press

[journal] Del Testa, David W. / 2002 / Workers, Culture, and the Railroads in French Colonial Indochina, 1905-1936 / French Colonial History 2 : 181~198

[book] Dhont, Frank / 2005 / Nationalisme Baru Intelektual Indonesia Tahun 1920-an / Gadjah Mada University Press

[journal] Dhont, Frank / 2016 / A Holistic View of the Japanese Occupation of Southeast Asia / SUVANNABHUMI : Multi-disciplinary Journal of Southeast Asian Studies 8(1) : 77~94

[journal] Galloway, J. H. / 2005 / The Modernization of Sugar Production in Southeast Asia, 1880-1940 / Geographical Review 95(1) : 1~23

[book] Groeneboer, Kees / 1993 / Weg tot het Westen: het Nederlands voor Indië 1600-1950: een Taalpolitieke Geschiedenis / KITLV

[book] Johnson. Gordon / 1973 / Provincial Politics and Indian Nationalism: Bombay and the Indian National Congress 1880 to 1915 / Cambridge University Press

[book] Litta, Henriette / 2011 / Regimes in Southeast Asia: An Analysis of Environmental Cooperation / VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften

[book] Narine, Shaun / 2002 / Explaining ASEAN: Regionalism in Southeast Asia / Lynne Rienner Publishers

[book] Petrus Blumberger, J. Th. / 1931 / De Nationalistische Beweging in Nederlandsch-Indië / H.D. Tjeenk Wilink & Zoon

[book] Petrus Blumberger, J. Th. / 1935 / De Communistische Beweging in Nederlandsch-Indië / H.D. Tjeenk Wilink & Zoon

[book] Shiraishi, Saya / 1993 / The Japanese in Colonial Southeast Asia / Cornell Southeast Asia Program

[book] Somwung Pitiyanuwat / 2005 / Civic Education in Thailand: Policies and Practices in Schools / Chulalongkorn University Press

[book] Van Leur, J. C. / 1983 / Indonesian Trade and Society: Essays in Asian Social and Economic History / Foris Publications

[book] Webster, Anthony / 1998 / Gentlemen Capitalists: British Imperialism in South East Asia 1770-1890 / Tauris Academic Studies

KJC Korea
Journal Central

Statistics

Tools

Sharing

Issue List

Citation status