The Outside of the Chinese Contemporary: The Malaysian Chinese Third World

Principle Investigator：Guat Peng Ngoi

This project aims to understand the relationship between the rise of China and the development of Malaysian Chinese literature from an external positionality. While most contemporary Malaysian Chinese writers have a stronger affinity with Taiwan, China remains a core element in their writing and identity. With the rise of China and its influence abroad, Malaysian Chinese community is also beginning to reflect on its relationship with China, pondering about the meaning of its external positionality. As opposed to modern Chinese literature, the development of Malaysia Chinese literature has been closely knitted with the Third World in our imagination. Therefore, a Malaysian Chinese positionality in understanding the Chinese Contemporary is not merely a response to the rise of China but also a deep reflection on the Malaysian Chinese culture and politics.