Rising tide of ethno-religious nationalism threatens civilisation

From the US grilling of TikTok’s CEO over his nationality to Israel’s intractability over the Gaza war, ethno-religious nationalism threatens to split our world into antagonistic civilisation enclaves

Peter T. C. Chang

Published: 5:30am, 16 Mar 2024

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The complexities brought about by human migration and cultural diversity have given rise to ethno-religious nationalism worldwide. However, in an era where the well-being of the global community is intricately intertwined, turning inward is not a sustainable solution. Instead, building bridges between civilisations is key to safeguarding the fate of humankind.

President Xi Jinping has unveiled three initiatives – the global development, security and civilisation initiatives – that shape the conceptual framework of China’s next phase of global outreach. Within the global civilisation initiative, Xi sees respect for diversity as a cornerstone to building a shared future.

Last year, during a visit to Beijing, Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Xi pledged to collaborate to foster trust between cultures through this initiative. Anwar, an advocate for cross-cultural engagement, had actively promoted Islamic-Confucian dialogue. Under his Malaysia Madani vision, the government has committed to realising an inclusive, pluralistic Malaysia.

Malaysia’s unique multicultural landscape is a by-product of British colonial rule, during which labourers from China and India were recruited to work in mines and plantations. Following independence, Malaysia inherited a land of diverse races and creeds.

Malaysia’s founding fathers adhered to the principle that no single faith should overshadow other belief systems, despite Islam being the official religion. Like most countries, Malaysia encountered challenges in balancing the diverse needs of its constituents. For example, Anwar is facing resistance from conservatives who view the court judgment against the expansion of sharia law as a potential erosion of Malay Muslim rights.

Neighbouring Singapore also grapples with its diverse ethnic groups. The city state aims to maintain social cohesion among its multi-religious population by ensuring the public sphere remains free from undue influence from any specific religion.

02:15

Singaporeans fume over US lawmaker grilling of TikTok CEO

In January, US senator Tom Cotton’s grilling of TikTok’s Singaporean CEO Chew Zhou Zi’s over his nationality was widely criticised as racist. The Cotton-Chew episode bears two critical observations with broader implications.

Firstly, beneath the racial undertones in the US-China rivalry, the Singapore government harbours a deeper concern, specifically, the impact of geopolitics on the city state’s social stability.

Recently, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan cautioned that unless Singaporeans can rise above considerations of race and religion, events such as a potential US-China conflict or China-India conflict may incite communal sentiments capable of fracturing the nation along ethnic lines. Singapore’s foreign policy is driven by this concern, recognising that preserving national cohesion is crucial amid big power rivalry.

Secondly, Cotton playing the race card on China is indicative of a more profound dilemma: the long-standing US struggle with racial issues at home.

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Like Malaysia, America is a diverse nation. Its foundation, however, was marred by a tragic history that includes the subjugation of Native Americans and enslavement of African cotton workers. Despite the strides made during the 1960s civil rights movement, the United States continues to wrestle with race relations. Some groups, such as those aligned with far-right movements, have re-emerged to advocate keeping America predominantly white.

Last month, the Alabama supreme court declared that an IVF-fertilised egg can be considered a person, a ruling that critics say violates the principle of the separation of church and state. It comes amid a broader conservative campaign to reinstate Christian dominion across America.

The potential re-election of Donald Trump as president, backed by his base of white Christian nationalists, is widely perceived as a threat to the foundational vision of the republic as a land of the free, for people of diverse ethnicities and religious beliefs.

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The rise of ethno-religious nationalism is not confined to the US. In Europe, Prime Minister Viktor Orban is pursuing anti-immigration policies and cultural conservatism, prioritising Hungary’s Christian heritage. Similarly, in Asia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has implemented policies envisioning India as a Hindu rashtra, emphasising the predominant role of Hindu culture.

Preserving a civil public sphere is key to maintaining order and harmony in diverse societies. Unfortunately, the recent surge in ethno-religious sentiments is eroding this safe space, with potentially tragic consequences, exemplified by the ongoing tragedy in Gaza.

Colonialism has displaced Asians and Africans, yet what the Palestinians call “Nakba” or catastrophe – their forced expulsion from their homeland – is exceptionally heart-wrenching. Since the establishment of Israel, Jews and Arabs have struggled to cohabitate in a divided Palestine.

Then the October 7 Hamas attack happened, and the Jewish body polity took a sharp rightward shift, dimming any prospect of coexistence with Palestinians. The bloodbath in Gaza is unlikely to cease until the global community, and the US specifically, can force Israel to respect the rights of Palestinians through the pursuit of a two-state solution.

The currents of history have forced world civilisations to converge, fostering the cross-fertilisation of ideas but also sparking upheaval. As human migration persists in the 21st century, an increasingly diverse global landscape will be shaped.

Far-right views in Asia? Singapore cases may reflect movement’s slow creep

Attempts by conservative factions, such as the far-right in America, to abandon the civil society and retreat into a cultural haven are unlikely to succeed. But the rising tide of ethno-religious nationalism across the West and Asia may still lead to the fragmentation of the world into antagonistic civilisation enclaves.

Xi and Anwar’s commitment to build trust among cultures through the global civilisation initiative stands as a pivotal counteraction. In a world where the fate of humankind is intricately interwoven, engagement rather than decoupling is the only viable option. The consequences of choosing separatism over coexistence, vividly displayed in the unfolding calamity in Gaza, are detrimental to our shared global well-being.

Peter T.C. Chang is a research associate at the Institute of China Studies, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia