CounterArchive: Fictional Healing is a project co-curated by Ong Jo-Lene and Rebecca Yeoh, and involves activating British archival materials from the Malayan Emergency.

In light of that project, we will be exploring some of its themes across a few episodes.

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National identity and memory are crucial elements of a nation's cultural fabric, reflecting its collective experiences and values. So, what does this mean for nations which were former colonies of empires, such as Malaysia? How does colonialism and periods like the Malayan Emergency continue to shape how we view ourselves in relation to each other and our country?

In this episode, we speak to Dr Jessica Rapson, from King’s College London. She’s an expert in Cultural Memory and National Identity, as well as, Dr Sarena Abdullah, Art Historian, University Sains Malaysia.

CounterArchive: Fictional Healing is a collaboration between the Department of Anthropology and Sociology, Universiti Malaya and Malaysia Design Archive, and is funded by the British Council.