June 15, 2009 (Monday)

15:30-17:00

JFIC Keyaki at the Japan Foundation Head Office.
The Japan Foundation headquarters moved to the new office.

Japanese (no interpretation)

If you would like to attend the seminar, please notify Japanese Studies and Intellectual Exchange Dept. by June 10, 2009 with your name, affiliation, and contact information (tel., fax or e-mail). If you would apply by e-mail, please be aware to write the name of the presenter and the date of the seminar in the title. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
[Contact Address]
Tel: 03-5369-6070/ Fax: 03-5369-6041

Mr. Zainol Abidin Bin Kasim
He is currently a Japan Foundation Research Fellow 2008-09 and a lecturer at Special Japanese Preparatory Program (AAJ), Centre For Foundation Studies in Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

“Comparative Study Between Malays and Japanese Identity: Focus on Identity of Malaysian Students in Japanese Cultural Sphere."

Protecting one`s own identity is important whether one`s represent minority or majority group. However, for most acculturating individuals, after a long-term period of time, some long-term positive adaptation to the new cultural context usually takes place (Beiser et al.,1988). Identity includes personal elements such as one’s name, social elements such as one’s family and cultural referents such as one’s ethnicity (Pederson, 1994). When people move to a new country, they are likely to be distant from the people who were part of their identity and thus their sense of self can be confused and changed. Cultural differences and language barriers are possibly overcome as time passes. In this process, Malaysian students are likely to go through acculturation and may change their behaviors. The cultural differences is seen as a crisis of identity. When the Japanese and other Foreigners make friends and get together with Malaysian, they may reduce the differences of culture between both. The “U- shaped” adjustment curve associated with five stages of cultural shock describes similar process to cultural identity development described by many scholars (Pederson, 1994). This study investigates about Malaysian students in Japanese cultural sphere. The datas based on interviews, observations and questionnaires were collected from Malaysian students. All respondents were selected from Malaysia Look East Policy Program students who currently studies at Japan National universities. This study is considered to be part of social culture and language identity surveys.