Emotion as the Key to Better Ethnic Relations in Malaysia

Authors

Chong-Tin Tan, Medical Centre of University of Malaya, MalaysiaFollow

Abstract

Much has been written on ethnic relations from the social, cultural, political, historical and legal perspectives. Yet a substantial part of the working of the human mind is at the subconscious level. These are underpinned by the various well-accepted concepts of how the mind works. It is thus essential to understand the “hidden” psychological factors that affect ethnic relations and bring them into conscious awareness and open discussion. The issues that are important are firstly, those related to the human self-concept; i.e., the ethnic “identity” and “dignity;” and how the Malaysian “we” is being constructed. An emphasis on the contributions by all ethnic groups to nation building; “participation in global economy” and “striving towards better governance” would facilitate an inclusive “We.”

Recommended Citation

Tan, Chong-Tin (2020) "Emotion as the Key to Better Ethnic Relations in Malaysia," Malaysian Journal of Chinese Studies: Vol. 9: No. 2, Article 3.
Available at: https://mjcs.newera.edu.my/journal/vol9/iss2/3