KITA Discourse Series 7/2019, 26 September 2019

On Thursday September 26th, 2019, KITA Discourse Series No. 7/2019 was held with the following particulars:

Title: Speculations about the Future: Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia as Case Studies
Speaker: Prof. Dr. H. Ruediger Korff, Passau University, Germany
Venue: KITA Meeting Room

Abstract: In the 1990s and especially following the Asia crisis in 1997/98 all over the region there was an expectation of a transformation towards established democratic systems, with a strong middle class as its base. Today the situation has changed to quite a degree. We have Malaysia as a rather stable case of at least democratic procedures. There is only one constitution, regularly elections are held, which have political consequences. The political role of the military and bureaucracy is very limited. In Thailand, in contrast, the constitution is of minor relevance. Usually following a coup the constitution is changed. Democratic procedures like elections etc. take place irregularly. Most parties are organized around one person and play a rather minor role in political decision making. However, prior to the last coup in 2014 there were open pluralist public discourses and little media censorship. Myanmar was characterized by an authoritarian, repressive military regime. Only since 2011 has this changed and the first free elections took place in 2015. In the presentation I will look at three issues for an analysis: (1) The pattern of strategic group and elite formation in the three countries and its implications for nationalism; (2) The pattern of political power and in particular the importance of charisma of political leaders; and (3) Personality orientations towards authoritarianism. As a preliminary, tentative conclusion, in Malaysia, the integration of the multi-ethnic society and thus different majorities as well as interdependencies require a more or less neutral legal system and pluralist political power and political decision making. Consequently, democratic procedures have to be maintained.

About the Speakers: Prof. Dr. Ruediger Korff obtained his PhD in 1984 in Sociology of Development before working as lecturer from the year 1991. In 1998 he was attached with Faculty of Development Science (Fakulti Sains Pembangunan) in ÿÈÕ´óÈüapp as Associate Professor, a post he held for two years before went on to University of Hoheinheim in Germany to be a Full Professor for Sociology of Development. Since 2004, he is Professor and Chair for Southeast Asian Studies in University of Passau, Germany.