Malaysia
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Degree: PhD
Thesis: The case for rentierism as a cause for underdevelopment in Malaysia: Tourism Planning from Mahathir to the present day University: Durham University Date obtained: July 2011 |
My time in Malaysia
Despite the argument that my thesis had barely touched the surface of what was happening in Vietnam, I felt the need of a change. I had planned, executed and written up my MA in just 11 months and the intensity of that period made me want to step back. Dr Cheung and I had discussed what I might do for a PhD but it was a television commercial that inspired my next move. I was at a crossroads in my life and a vague desire to move to the Far East was solidified by that one minute film. 'The time is now. The place is Malaysia' felt like a message directed at me. My knowledge of Malaysia was fairly limited. I made a day trip to the fishing town of Kakup in 2004 during my visit to Singapore and had written about Malaysia's role in ASEAN regarding Vietnam but it felt right. I began with the tourism campaign and the dual promotion of traditional tourism and the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) market. I studied Malaysian history in the UK for a year before packing a suitcase and moving to Kuala Lumpur where I found an apartment and built a new life.
I lived in "KL" for a year and travelled throughout the country and region. By living in Southeast Asia I left the role of tourist and began to appreciate a depth of information that only emerges after making friends and developing a routine. I became accustomed to my early wake-up from the police academy cadets doing drill, to my favourite table at the coffee shop where I worked and to cool showers followed by standing in front of the air conditioning unit whenever I returned home. I never got used to cockroaches but I learnt how to barter with Teksi drivers and began to speak 'Manglish' if not actual Bahasa. I remained the crazy English girl who walked everywhere despite the heat right to the end and was always eager to hear the stories of my friends and the people who worked at the places I visited.
I had studied Islam at school but my understanding was set in vivid context by actually living in a country so influenced by the religion. I also became aware of the glossy front that hides so much of Malaysia's reality; how the Petronas Towers give an image of modernity quite removed from actuality. The main thrust of my thesis remained tourism but my angle changed to a consideration of how Islam and the special rights of the Malays met with the government's global ambition. When I returned to the UK and discussed this with Gordon, he suggested I frame this within the concept of rentierism. The title of my PhD thesis thus became 'Tourism as a Tool for Development in a Rentier State Economy.'
I lived in "KL" for a year and travelled throughout the country and region. By living in Southeast Asia I left the role of tourist and began to appreciate a depth of information that only emerges after making friends and developing a routine. I became accustomed to my early wake-up from the police academy cadets doing drill, to my favourite table at the coffee shop where I worked and to cool showers followed by standing in front of the air conditioning unit whenever I returned home. I never got used to cockroaches but I learnt how to barter with Teksi drivers and began to speak 'Manglish' if not actual Bahasa. I remained the crazy English girl who walked everywhere despite the heat right to the end and was always eager to hear the stories of my friends and the people who worked at the places I visited.
I had studied Islam at school but my understanding was set in vivid context by actually living in a country so influenced by the religion. I also became aware of the glossy front that hides so much of Malaysia's reality; how the Petronas Towers give an image of modernity quite removed from actuality. The main thrust of my thesis remained tourism but my angle changed to a consideration of how Islam and the special rights of the Malays met with the government's global ambition. When I returned to the UK and discussed this with Gordon, he suggested I frame this within the concept of rentierism. The title of my PhD thesis thus became 'Tourism as a Tool for Development in a Rentier State Economy.'
My work on Malaysia
In addition to my thesis, I wrote a number of papers, presentations and posters. I'd be happy to share and discuss these. Please contact me if you are interested in my work on Malaysia.
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