"Shades of Alterity: A study of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles' discourse on religions amongst the Malays

Abstract

This dissertation examines Sir Thomas Stamford Rafflesa?? discourse on religions amongst the Malays. I argue that Raffles had a variety of opinions about the varied religions amongst the Malays that he encountered during his tour of duty in the Malay Archipelago. The common idea running through these opinions was that he was unwilling to accept that the Malays should continue to maintain the religious beliefs which he observed amongst them. Rather, Raffles had ambivalent stances with regards to these religions. Such attitude attests to the a??shades of alteritya?? lingering in his mind and perhaps in the minds of most Europeans at that time.Rafflesa?? unequal and inconsistent accounts of these religions were an outcome of his repetitive emphasis on several features, which he considered as essential to any religion. Thus, another objective of this thesis is to uncover some of Rafflesa?? ideas on what constitutes the term a??religiona??.