Language and nation state: meeting the challenges of competing ideologies

Abstract

This paper is based on a study conducted by the Faculty of Language Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia on the role of language and literature in the development of a nation state -a state defined for the study along the challenges of Vision 2020 (Mahathir Mohamed, 1991). It looks, firstly, at the role<of language from the traditional perspective - that of building a nation state that is cohesive and united in its goals and aspirations, and secondly, from the perspective of globalism - that of a borderless world. The paper will present the perception of the decision makers of tomorrow (16-25 age group) on the role of language within the context of the two competing ideologies.