Crises

 

Have you ever feel startle?

I do feel frighten especially when I need to go out alone or driving alone. Once go out from my room, some bells are ringing in my head such as I need to be extra careful. Normally, I don’t really feel scared because I thought what has been reported by media not really harming. But now with the killing news and the recent news about arsonists which have struck a fifth church and a convent school which has resulted to amid rising tensions between Muslims and Christians does giving me some fear-effect to me.

Not only that, whenever motorcyclist rides their bikes near to my car I feel like they are trying to do bad things and I never enjoy the windy air from the open-window when I see bikes coming forward on the road…

With more alarming issues such as religious conflict, intra-racial conflict, Islamophobia, an attempted firebombing, and with the sensitive issue over the right to use the word of “Allah” have proven that currently we are living in the world where security is just a symbolic term.

I wonder, where is the morality? Where is the sense of unity? Where is the sense of integration, productivity and harmony? Where is our understanding upon Islam Hadhari, 1Malaysia and also ‘society for all’ as been mention in Copenhagen declaration? What is been wronged?

Malaysia is in a state of progressing toward betterment, the government trying to be responsive to the needs and to the demands of their citizens…how this going to be.. if we don’t appreciate what we got?  Where is our morality dear Malaysian?

In this dynamic process i fervently believe if  we respect each other and put things at the right place ,it will help Malaysian to achieve unity, stability, and integrity…The issue of religious-sensitivity should not be taken lightly and the reaction also should not be taken lightly or offensively. I believe we have to look back at the official religion in this country, by apprehending the rukun Negara and Malaysia’s law…everything can be solved.

O mankind! Indeed, We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Indeed, Allah is Knower, Aware.(Quran, 49:13)

In this mundane and temporal life , there is a kitab provided to us to be hold. I believe few morons opt for terrorizing act are not really ‘Malaysian and not really educated’. Not really educated here is referring to their  shallow-jelly minded.

Do you really notice that this significant damage really tarnishing the image of all Malaysia…what a shame people…Where is our stand people? Wallahualam…

 

For my Thesis

New Year Wish

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

1st January 2010, Home: I just arrived, now I’m in Penang, it is almost 1 a.m.

I was observing some of the local people, some of them went out to Auto City to celebrate New Year Eve. It is a tradition. I look at the skies, just similar to last year.

I ask myself, what are the differences between last year and this year? The answer lies on how much you have changed and in what way.

For me, last year many things happened till yesterday morning which I would rather say it was amazing, sebak, terharu, sad, and happy too. While driving back here, as musafir, I was doa to Allah, hoping He will ease everything for me. There is no specific doa because this new year I will sail my new journey just by doa to Allah “rabbi…yaser walla tu hassir…rabbi tamin bir khoir”…let him ease my path of life and that is it, simple and hoping this year will full of barakah and getting more bless from Him. That is my list for this new Year.

Happy New Year!

Hijab

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
 السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

I just thinking and observing, I feel women with hijab are so nice because the aurat has been covered but in the same time, with the right application of hijab & fashion, muslimah can be just so gorgeous, this is flexibility she would rather called. So long it covers what should be covered then you can be very creative in fashion.

Main basic thing is that the hijab must not only cover the neck but also chest. However, there are crimes done by youngsters such as abandon the length of hijab, which some purposely just cover their head but their chest and neck wasn’t covered. To certain extend, some hair also been shown or I should call it as “jambul”…

Actually many trends of hijab nowadays, just Google it and you can find 1001 webs teaching you how to be fashionable. Hence, many say muslimah are not fashionable, I believe the notion is totally absurd and wrong.

Islam is a religion which is always adapt with surrounding, which is update and not outmoded. It is a matter of how we do understand the basic. Islam is not a rigid religion which urged or dictates you how to wear hijab such as it must be extremely long, plain, and boring.

I used to be a free hair girl, but my brother insist me wearing hijab because he feel bit ashamed to his friends with me not covering my head, since he was from religious school, undeniably I can understand it. But he unable to force me because I hold a principle if i want to wear it, I will make sure I will never leave it. So here it is all about time frame , my understanding and my readiness to do it wholeheartedly.

Wearing hijab also doesn’t represents the women are pious or alim, but for me, it is a kind of discipline which teach us about obedience…obedience to the rules of Allah which eventually will push the self to the betterment.

Let me tell you one story which happened to me. When at school, mingled with my Chinese and Indians girls, which I do love them, seriously I never have intention to wear hijab…but again I did not say NO.

Here the story, my brother who was the one who make me realize hijab is nice…part of his strategy I anticipate, One day, he brought me to shopping mall and said to me, “Chek, you can take any cloth that you want but it must be a long sleeve”…a garment that covers all part of my arms…I was excited…because it was an expensive trickle-down charity…who will say No?

Later on, we need to take a family portrait picture, he urged me to cover my hair…bit reluctant actually, because I’m gonna look so boring and so traditional…but he good at this, praising me and with the collaboration from my parents, I bought what they had sold! I just believe it. Who don’t want to look nice right?

Then, when entered to university, I still remember, I went there without wearing hijab . He the one who borrowed hijab from his girlfriend that time. he knows I’m not use to this, and seeking his girlfriend to make myself familiar with hijab…my matric card picture wearing hijab is not my hijab actually, it was from his girlfriend…well, in IIUM, my first year, I wear it just inside IIUM, but I will seek permission from my brother to remove it if I’m going out to KLCC or Midvalley. The mines for the modern people which equal to free-hair blonde girls area.

But again, he never forces me, he makes me to promise, “Try to wear it when you are confident…” then, second year, i wear it regularly until now. Alhamdulilah.

what I am trying to convey is sometimes we are not confident with Hijab because of some bad influences and bad images such as kolot stigma…actually later i do understand wearing a hijab is full of hikmah, wisdom and full of protection…

sometimes, because we are socially constructed, which means our immediate surrounding is the one who create and alter your personality we dont have gut, lose confident to what we should really be doing…

As for me,  the fundamental understanding of religion is vital . The confident level, the trust to ALLAH, yakin, will help many girls out there to be back in the right path.

I have draw another lessons from this story and which is happening in my life…sometime what been constructed by society is not really an ideal or suit you but what been constructed by ALLAH is the Best…it just a matter of our mental apprehension and our readiness…because once you understand it, InsyaAllah, the rest Allah will give you guidance …

Happy New Year! Hijab yourself! ^_^

Dear Mr. President

It has been way too long im neglecting this blog…actually, there are bundle for me to say yet, i put it into reservation. Well, have u read special edition Newsweek? a lot about economic issues have been discussed. so here i believe the role of leaders is important in order to establish or create stability…NICE ISSUES.

Im listening to PINK songs, one of them which is my favourite song is “Dear Mr.President”…i would like to share this song not only because it is nice to listen but also the points in the lyric are clearly important to not taken it lightly.

InsyaAllah, i will post something else later. Happy New Year! Please enjoy

Always

A song…a dedication to…

A song…a dedication to…to my beloved ‘Jumpers’ and tq for all the sharing and for ur lovely friendship…

The liberal IPE perspective

The liberal IPE perspective

The liberal perspective on IPE reveals many insights about political economy that mercantilists miss or did not address.

The term liberalism means liberty under the law. Hence it focuses on the side of human nature which is competitive but guided by reason not emotion. Although liberals believe that human beings are fundamentally self interested, but it is not a disadvantage because broad areas of society are set up in such a way that competing interests can engage one another constructively.

Liberalism rooted in reaction to important trends and events that occurred in Europe in the 17^th and 18^th centuries. The first step was taken in France by Francois Qusnay (1694—1774) who led a group of French philosophers called the physocrats or les economists. Quesnay condemned government interference in the market, because it brought harm to society. Their motto was laissez-faire, laissez passer.

Then, Adam Smith, (1723-1790) a Scottish contemporary of Quesnay, who was regarded as the father of modern economics, and took laissez-passé as his theme to offset state intervention, hence regarded state as a dangerous and untrustworthy and condemned the tariffs. That was when the state was heavily mercantilist in 1776. And he brought the idea of invisible hand which has two tightly intertwined parts: self-interest and competition

His works struck the right note at the right time and so gained a measure of respect and influence that is rare. Hence, his book The Wealth of nations makes it appear that liberalism is concerned about only economics and wealth.

Although Adam Smith was against the state intervention in the market activities, but the state had a number limited task to perform in society that individuals cannot perform by them, which is to help create an institutional environment that fosters individual action, such as establishing and maintaining basic legal system and assuring national defense.     

The liberal view of international relations;

Economic liberals tend to focus on the domain in which nation-states show their cooperative, peaceful, constructive natures through harmonious competition.

David Recardo (1772-1823) followed Smith in adopting the economic liberal view of international affairs. For Recardo, free commerce makes nations efficient and general benefit, and efficiency is a quality that liberals value as highly as liberty. In IPE jargon, liberals think that outcomes of state, market, and society relations is a positive-sum game, in which everyone can potentially get more out of a bargain than she or he put into it.

 John Stuart Mill and the evolution of the liberal perspective;

Due to the dynamism of IPE field, liberal view has evolved over the years. Thus, a critical person in the intellectual development of liberalism was John Stuart Mill (1806-1873),

John Stuart Mill presented a philosophy of social progress that was moral and spiritual progress rather than accumulation of wealth. He proposed that, to achieve social progress, the state should take limited action to supplement the market, correcting its failures. He advocated selective state action in some areas such as educating the children and assisting the poor when individual initiative might be inadequate in promoting social welfare.

 John Maynard Keynes and the Great Depression (1883-1946)

Keynes was one of the most influential figures in the 20^th century, and he proposed a theory called the Keynesian theory. His theory combines state and market influences in a way that relies on the invisible hand over a narrower range of issues.

Keynes was influenced by the Great Depression which caused him suggested that the state should use its power to fortify and improve the market, but not along the aggressive, nationalistic line of mercantilism, and not with the oppressive force of communism.

• Keynesian compromise;

 At the end of the WWII leaders of the allied nations met at Bretton Woods U.S. to forge global structures, often called Bretton Woods System. Keynes headed the British delegation to the meetings. There, he again introduced his version of liberalism and it was succeeded and accepted by the leaders, hence called Keynesian compromise.

Conservatism; the resurgence of classical liberalism.

Conservatism emerged during the periods of 1970s and 1980s, as a consequence of the diminish of Keynesian compromise. Classical liberal ideas like those of the Austrian Friedrich Hayek (1899-1922) and the American Milton Friedman (1912-2006) became increasingly popular and powerful.

Hayek argued that the only way to have security and freedom was to limit the role of government and draw security from the opportunity that the market provides to free individuals.

• Reagan, Thatcher, and the Neo conservatism;

Neo-conservatism as neo liberalism reasserted during the 1980s in the U.S and the Great Britain. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and President Ronald Reagan were the chief practitioners of applied neoconservative ideas. Those ideas were more related to the returning back to Adam smith, Friedrich Hayek and Milton Friedman, but not to John Maynard Keynes.

The philosophy was that; to free up the market and grow the economy, neo liberalism in the U.S. and Great Britain was designed to reduce state control of private-sector activities, cut taxes, and deregulate market.

                  

Perspective in International Political Economy

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Perspective[s] in International Political Economy (part 2)

a] Mercantilism and economic nationalism

Mercantilism is the oldest and perhaps the most important theoretical perspective IPE that accounts for one basic compulsion of all nation states to create and sustain wealth and power in order to preserve and protect their national security and independence. It is defined as state efforts to promote exports and limit imports, hence, generating trade surpluses to create wealth and power.

Hence, mercantilism often has been lumped to realism as a complementary to each other because realism like mercantilism accounts for many ways that politics, power and the state affect the economy and the markets.

Mercantilism as history, philosophy and state policy

1. History; it is linked to the rise of the modern nation state in Europe during the 15^th – 18^th centuries. It was the period of state building and intervention in the economy for the sake of making the state secure dominated political economic thought.
2. Philosophy; mercantilists philosophers see gains in economic wealth by one state often perceived as losses by competing state, that is what is called zero-sum game. The dependency on other states would weaken a nation state if imported provisions were cut off.

Colonialism was viewed as an instrument in mercantilist efforts to control trade with the exploitations of the colonial powers of their colonies by accumulating wealth, goods, cheap labor from mother country to the colonies.

Classical mercantilism is a period when newly emerging nation- states faced the problem of using their economies as a means to achieve wealth and power for the sake of national security.

Difference between realism and mercantilism; is the issue of which one should be prioritized between economy and power to achieve national security. Realists’ view says that military power should be prioritized more than economic power, while mercantilists’ view sees economic power is everything.

Economic nationalism; focuses on the internal development of the national economy. And it was a reaction to the economic liberalism which got its popularity in the 1840s.

The most famous advocates of economic nationalism were American Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804) who saw U.S economic security threatened by the mercantilist policy of other nations, hence suggested that state intervention was necessary and favored subsidies to make U.S goods more competitive at home and abroad, and German economist Friedrich List who saw that German government should take action to promote productive power in the form of education, technology and industry.

Two types of mercantilism

    Robert Gilpin makes distinction about many of the neomercantilist policies that states employed after WW11.

1. Malevolent mercantilism is a more hostile version of the economic warfare and expansionary economic policies associated with the practices of such countries as Nazi Germany and imperial Japan. Their main policies were to employ a variety of measures intentionally to expand their territorial base or political influence at the expense of other nations.
2. Benign mercantilism is more defensive in nature. It only attempts to protect the economy against untoward economic and political forces.

So far, mercantilism seems to be the oldest and the most powerful perspective of IPE.

As trade increased between nations so did the opportunity for political rivalry, which could be understood, even in today’s political and economic hostility and conflicts among the nations, since the end of WW11 until now that mercantilism has been responsible and driving force behind colonialism and imperialism in developing regions of the world as a result of growing interdependence of nations and globalization of the International Political Economy.

 

 

 

              

1. “What is International Political Economy?”

What is International Political Economy? (PART 1)

It is an analytical effect to break down the barriers that separate and isolate the disciplines of politics, economics and sociology and their method of analysis, seeking a comprehensive understanding of mainly international or global issues and events.

Essence of IPE

To understand the essence of IPE, we need to look at the basic elements of the term IPE separately;

First, IPE is International in scope, that is, it deals with issues that cross-national borders and with relations between and among nation-states. Second, IPE is political, means, it usually focuses on the use of state power to make decisions about who gets what, when and how in a society. Third, IPE is about economy which means that, it deals with how scarce resources are allocated for different uses and distributed among individuals, groups and nation-states through the market process.

Why study IPE

Three reasons for studying IPE are;

1.  IPE is important; it makes the front pages every day because many events affect us all as citizens of the world, residents of a particular nation-state and daily participants in societies and systems of markets that are international or global in nature. 
2.  IPE is useful. Public and private employers and government officials increasingly seek out those who can think broadly and critically, and those who can appreciate the effect of social conditions and alternative values in a global context. 
3.  IPE is interesting; means, it is all about life and the many actions and interactions that connect human beings around the globe. The events of September 11, 2001, Madrid bomb and others unprecedented events in the 21st century are crucially obvious that they have changed the world and made people realize that the world we live in is changing rapidly. Hence, it is the best reasons why it is important to study IPE.

 Analytical building blocks; states, markets, and societies.

States, markets and societies are highly tied and inter-connected to one another in the sense that they can affect the behavior of a variety of different actors. But there are few elements of each entity that should be taken into consideration when thinking about IPE.

• Politics and the state One political value that both states and markets value strongly is security. Basic security needs for people are; property, job, wealth, culture, religion and environment. 
•  Economics and the market Under pure market conditions, people are assumed to behave rationally in such a way that they will naturally seek to maximize their gains and minimize their losses by producing and exchanging things. And that derives them to compete with one another as well as with others for sales in local and international markets. Hence, economic efficiency comes when the society is able to distribute resources effectively and with little waste.
• Sociology and society It is obvious that, in this interconnected world, societies are always in tension with different behaviors of different groups of people. There are usually many different social groups of people in a state such as tribes, clans, and ethnics or other types of communities whose borders often cut across national boundaries. It is difficult, even, for the political officials and academics to fold those groups into one nation state or another. Examples of Iraq, Iran and many others are obvious, where tensions between different religious groups play a major role in shaping social, political, and economic behavior. 

 Interdisciplinary perspectives and sets of values

There are three varieties of approaches which attempt to describe how global actors such as states should interact or how they really behave. 

1.  mercantilism or economic nationalism is the IPE perspective most closely associated with political science, especially the political philosophy of realism which looks IPE issues as national interests and state struggle for wealth and power. 
2.  liberalism (economic liberalism) focuses on IPE issues in terms of individual interests. It studies markets and the behavior of different actors associated with them.
3. structuralism, rooted in Marxist analysis, looks at IPE issues in terms of class interests, where all of society are shaped by the dominant economic structures of society. 

 Levels of analysis Four levels of analysis on IPE issues are;

Individual, state, international system and global level. Global structure There are also four global structures and institutions that govern the behavior of states and markets in the IPE which result in the production, exchange, and distribution of global wealth and power;

1. the security structure; security from the threats and actions of other states and non state actors are most basic human needs. 
2.  production and trade structure; because producing things is one element of generating value and wealth and wealth, as it is perceived, is power.
3. finance and monetary structure; the pattern of money flows between and among nations and how certain resources are allocated and distributed between and among states.
4. knowledge and technology structure; who has knowledge and it is used is an important factor in IPE. Nations with poor access to knowledge in the forms of industrial technology, scientific discoveries, medical procedures or instant communications find themselves disadvantageous.