2003 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Meta-Narratives of Southeast Asian History: Nation-State, Gender, Modernity
| Project/Area Number |
13410107
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Asian history
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| Research Institution | TOKYO UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN STUDIES |
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Principal Investigator |
KOIZUMI Junko Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Faculty of Foreign Studies, Associate Professor, 外国語学部, 助教授 (70234672)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
TITO Toshikatsu Aichi University, Faculty of Letters, Professor, 文学部, 教授 (60148228)
TOSA Keiko Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Faculty of Foreign Studies, Professor, 外国語学部, 教授 (90283853)
AOYAMA Toru Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Faculty of Foreign Studies, Professor, 外国語学部, 教授 (90274810)
KOBAYASHI Yasuko Nanzan University, Faculty of Foreign Studies, Associate Professor, 外国語学部, 助教授 (60225547)
IIJIMA Akiko Tenri University, Faculty of International Cultural Studies, Associate Professor, 国際文化学部, 助教授 (70299155)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2001 – 2003
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| Keywords | Southeast Asian History / Meta-narrative / Nationalism / Gender / Modernity |
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| Research Abstract |
After three years of continual discussion, all members have arrived at a common understanding of the question of "meta-nafrative" in Southeast Asian history, the notion which would lead to a new appraisal of existing historical narratives of the region but had been almost unknown to the relevant academic circle in Japan. Each member endeavored to reexamine the dominant discourse concerning one's own topic for research. Koizumi, for instance, questions the sharp dichotomy between "slavery" and "wage labours" in Siamese history and reveals that the notion of "progress" has served as a meta-narrative to produce such narratives as self-evident truth. Ito, on the other hand, traces back the familiar discourse of "innocence" to describe the Karen people and finds out that it is a modern product of colonialism rather than a essential truth. Kobayashi also examines the image and myth of Kartini, a famous female nationalist figure in Java in the beginning of the 20^<th> century and argues that she has been romantically portrayed and mythicised as a tragic heroin by male historians in the age of nationalism. Tosa, on the other hand, questions the dividing line between modern and tradition by taking the history of medical practices in Burma. She suggests that what we call as "traditional" has also gone through changes responding to the introduction of modern medical practices. lijima also calls our attention to the modern creation of Phongsawadan Isan, the text which has been regarded as an important historical source for Northeast Thailand but. was "edited" by Prince Damrong to suit the political aim to integrate the region in Thai kingdom in the early 20th century. Sugawara sheds new lights oil the Islam in 19~ century Java by using long neglected "pegon" documents.
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