Thesis on Cyberjaya: Hegemony and Utopianism in a Southeast Asian State

Azly Rahman

Nov 2012 · Author House

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THESIS ON CYBERJAYA: HEGEMONY AND UTOPIANISM IN A SOUTHEAST ASIAN STATE by Azly Abdul Rahman a dissertation on "cybernating nations" submitted to Columbia University, New York (2004) This book, maintaine in its original dissertation format explores the concepts of hegemony and utopianism in the conceptualization of a technopole in a Southeast Asian state. I describe how cybernetics flow transculturally and is inscribed onto human consciousness as illustrated in the case of Malaysias grand-scale real estate project: Silicon Valley-inspired Multimedia Super Corridor (The MSC). I focus on the new economic nerve, Cyberjaya and the administrative capital, Putrajaya to investigate the dimensions of hegemony and utopianism My guiding questions were: what variant of hegemony is emerging? And what is the nature of the utopianism involved? Drawing inspiration from dialectical materialism, I designed a mixed-method approach in this study. The ensemble of methods used are Grubers Evolving Systems Approach to the study of an individual, semiotic analysis of visual images, and thematic analysis of speeches. This is a four-part dissertation. In Part I) I discuss the background of this study and review related sensitizing concepts (particularly hegemony and utopianism). In Part 2, I look at the history of Malaysia and the origin of the MSC. Using Grubers Case Study Approach, I then analyze the authoritarianism of Mahathir Mohamad, the author of the MSC project. In Part 3), using semiotics and thematic analyses. I describe how ideology is inscribed by looking at first, how cybernetics mutates with the recipient state, next, changes social relations of production, and finally produces and reproduces consciousness. I explore how foreign industrial and cultural complexes are installed and how they become ideological installations. In Part 4), I discuss my findings, develop propositions, outline a Theory of Hegemonic Formulations and suggest a set of tools to analyze how concepts permeate transculturally. I conclude my study with a reflection on Malaysias MSC after the retirement of Mahathir Mohamad. I propose that hegemony is a complex, kaleidoscopic, and multidimensional yet discernable and analyzable construct. Hegemony operates at the levels of language, politics, and systems of education, and helps define, institutionalize, and ritualize authoritarian leadership. Utopianism is one formulated by ideology, nationalism, and technological determinism. The interplay between authoritarianism and cybernetic systems sustain the culture of hegemony which then helps reproduce newer forms of Oriental Despotism.

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Dr. Azly Rahman is an educator, researcher, academician, and columnist for two of Malaysia and Asia’s most popular online newsportals. His teaching experience spans more than 20 years; both in Malaysia and in the United States, ranging from elementary to graduate education. He continues to hold teaching positions in the Unites States in diverse fields of philosophy, culture, education, and political science, and has held visiting fellowships in Malaysia in the area of development and Asian Studies. He has a doctorate in International Education Development, his dissertation on cybernetics and social change, "Hegemony and Utopianism in a Southeast Asian State (from Columbia University, New York), Masters in International Education, specialization in Peace Studies, his essay on Hegemony and Spaces of Knowledge and Power (Columbia University, New York City), Masters in Communication (Columbia University, New York City), Masters in Education, specializing in Curriculum and Instruction (Ohio University), Masters in International Affairs, specializing in Politics of Southeast Asia (Ohio University), Bachelors of Science in Education, specializing in English Education (Ohio University). Certificates in Multicultural Education, Teaching and Learning in Technology, Social Studies, Educational Leadership/Supervisor/Principalship. He is a Member: Kappa Delta Phi International Honor Society in Education Columbia University Chapter, International Understanding Honor Society Ohio University Chapter, Member of Spring 2007 Oxford University Round Table on Diversity in Society. He has authored more than 300 published analyses on Malaysia. He has taught more than 40 courses in the fields of education, culture, politics, international relations, philosophy and religion, and American studies. His first and endless love is Philosophy. This academic work, Thesis on Cyberjaya: Hegemony and Utopianism in a Southeast Asian State, presented as a Columbia University dissertation report, is his analysis of a hypermodern society framed from a cultural studies and social cybernetics perspective.