This book conveys the essence of a series of guided conversations with leading Malaysian intellectuals—predominantly writers, journalists, academicians, some artists, and other thinkers—in the early 1970s. Based on interviews with 133 intellectuals, supplemented by hours of informal conversation, socialising, and common attendance at intellectual activities or events, the book highlights the cultural significance of the 1970s, an under-appreciated era, and features “conversations” on topics that are integral to the nation’s intellectual history. Topics covered include freedom of speech and expression, their most admired cultural centres, religion, democracy, and the role for intellectuals in Malaysian society. The project uses an innovative approach that eschews conventional biographical sketches in favour of allowing intellectual informants to “speak” in their own voices.
Daniel Regan, a sociologist, holds a Ph.D. in the field from Yale University (USA) as well as an M.A. in Southeast Asia Studies from Yale. His B.A. (Hons) is from Amherst College. Before turning to academic administration, he was a faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh (USA) for 21 years, six of them as Sociology department head. He has held academic administrative positions at Lewis-Clark State College (Idaho, USA) and, before retiring, as long-time dean of academic affairs at Northern Vermont University-Johnson (now part of Vermont State University) in Vermont, where he lives. His academic writings have focused on higher education, religion and politics, intellectual life, and Malaysia.
