Before moving to chapter 6 Economic Transformation, we shared the different perspectives about a plural society in Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. While Malaysia is characterized by the migrant communities brought in by the British, Indonesia and the Philippines are characterized by various indigenous ethnic groups. Mestizo communities are another characteristic of the Philipines.
In chapter 6 the author pointed out that Southeast Asia's economy changed most rapidly from the 19th century onward. This is in part caused by the industrialization of the West and also in part accelerated by the utilization of the change by the local population. Some of the products featured in this era include rubber, tin, and rice.
At the end of the class, we discussed different perspectives on, and in what way we can contextualize colonization. We will continue discussing this problematic point in further classes.