The Unity Fetish

By Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

February 2015 COVER STORY
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fe·tishnoun e-tish also fē-: a strong and unusual need or desire for something: a need or desire for an object, body part or activity for sexual excitement: an object that is believed to have magical powersBuilding a nation involves sustained emotional stimulation, while building a state is more of a legal and technical matter. Balancing the two is the key to social stability and dynamism.Boy in Kelantan. Collective identities are a demand from without, while individual identity is a personally...

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Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

is the Executive Director of Penang Institute. His latest book is Signals in the Noise: Notes on Penang, Malaysia and the World (Singapore: Faction Press) Homepage: wikibeng.com.


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