Competitive Nation-Building in Timor-Leste
With Particular Reference to the Discourse on the Postcolony's 'Language Tetralemma' During the Years 2002-07
1st Edition
Published on 31. May 2012
Book
XXII, 384 pages
978-3-940132-47-5 (ISBN)
Description
Nation-building is a competitive practice - no matter how united a people were in their past struggle for independence, and no matter how convincingly pledges are made thereafter to preserve 'national unity.' In 2002, Timor-Leste became a sovereign state. Starting from scratch after decades of resistance war, protagonists of varying age, education, and political backgrounds had rather different ideas of building their new community - as the 'Tetralemma' of four formal languages illustrates in this book.This study explores the enormous challenges and exciting dynamics faced by emerging postcolonial and post-conflict nations. It explains why popular expectations of inclusiveness and stake, so vital to the success of liberation movements, turn into potential sources for distress after independence. Through a combined analytical approach of nationalism, sovereignty, collective memory, and strategic groups theory, nation-building is defined as the interest and ideology-driven construction of identity which, after all, constitutes a primarily political process.
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Content
I. Nation-Building in Timor-Leste: Theory and Empiricism 1
II. Bipolarism in Contemporary Timorese Discourse 97
III.The Timorese Discourse on the Language Tetralemma 167
Claim 1: 'The old leadership did not adequately consult the young generation on language policy' - The decision-making process 171
Claim 2: 'Language policy does not reflect sociolinguistic realities' - Tetum as an official, a national, and a majority language 175
Claim 3: 'Language policy is based on identity rather than pragmatism' - Portuguese as an elitist minority language 191
Claim 4: 'Portuguese strains resources much needed elsewhere' - The effects of language policy 220
Claim 5: 'Indonesian keeps us linked to the region, English to the world' - The pragmatic choice 249
5.1 Bahasa Indonesia: The unwanted majority language 249
5.2 English: The salvific minority language 289
IV. Conclusion: Framing Nation-Building and Language 311
II. Bipolarism in Contemporary Timorese Discourse 97
III.The Timorese Discourse on the Language Tetralemma 167
Claim 1: 'The old leadership did not adequately consult the young generation on language policy' - The decision-making process 171
Claim 2: 'Language policy does not reflect sociolinguistic realities' - Tetum as an official, a national, and a majority language 175
Claim 3: 'Language policy is based on identity rather than pragmatism' - Portuguese as an elitist minority language 191
Claim 4: 'Portuguese strains resources much needed elsewhere' - The effects of language policy 220
Claim 5: 'Indonesian keeps us linked to the region, English to the world' - The pragmatic choice 249
5.1 Bahasa Indonesia: The unwanted majority language 249
5.2 English: The salvific minority language 289
IV. Conclusion: Framing Nation-Building and Language 311