This innovative book is a pioneering study of political debate in an important Southeast Asian society. It re-examines the formative period in Malay nationalism and argues against using nationalism as the paradigm of analysis. By "interrogating" key Malay texts from the 19th and 20th centuries, Anthony Milner shows how contested, and problematic, the sphere of nationalism was.
Reviews
'This magnificent book is certainly essential reading for Malaysianists and Malaysians interested in the intrigues and mystique of Malay politics, in the past and at present.' A. B. Shamsul, Asian Studies Review 'The Invention of Politics in Colonial Malaya is a model of its kind and will undoubtedly become a landmark in Malaysian studies.' William R. Roff, Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies ' ... unusual, detailed and original book .' Asian Affairs
