The symbolic universe of Cyberjaya, Malaysia

Hans-Dieter Evers () and Ramli Nordin

MPRA Paper from University Library of Munich, Germany

Abstract: This paper analyses how various actors have used potent urban symbols to assert their vision of a modern, globalized Malay identity in the construction of the recently founded knowledge city of Cyberjaya, part of the flagship Multimedia Super Corridor project. As the state controls both the land and the urban planning process it has attempted to impose its own particularistic vision of Malaysian society on urban space and urban structures. This is demonstrated through an analysis of the discursive vision behind Cyberjaya, the logos of government corporations, the use of architectural forms and motifs, and the treatment of urban space itself. The discussion suggests the spatial and symbolic universe of Cyberjaya draws on both patterns of ‘traditional’ Malay life as well a projected vision of a modernized Malay identity that resonates with a globalized Islam. This generates contestations in which other possible imaginings of Cyberjaya’s symbolic space become possible.

Keywords: urban development; urban symbols; urban economy; identity; knowledge; development; Malaysia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D8 N9 O18 R5 Z1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012-05-10
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-sea and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (22)

Published in ZEF Working Paper Series 95 (2012): pp. 1-33

Downloads: (external link)
https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/39210/1/MPRA_paper_39210.pdf original version (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pra:mprapa:39210

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in MPRA Paper from University Library of Munich, Germany Ludwigstraße 33, D-80539 Munich, Germany. Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Joachim Winter ().