Bersih Movement and Democratisation in Malaysia

Khoo Ying Hooi is deputy head and senior lecturer in the Department of International and Strategic Studies at the University of Malaya.

• Chapter 1: IntroductionChapter 2: Social Movements and Democratisation: Concepts and LinkagesChapter 3: The Political Landscape in MalaysiaChapter 4: The Bersih Movement and Electoral ReformsChapter 5: Changing Political Opportunities and the Democratisation ProcessChapter 6: Activism, Participation and MobilisationChapter 7: The Aftermath of the 14th General Election and the Bersih Movement: Between Institutionalisation and Co-optation

Though vast, the literatures on democratisation and social movements rarely speak to each other. And while the study of democratisation has logically focused on non-democratic countries, the study of social movements has been biased toward empirical work in western democracies. That’s what makes The Bersih Movement and Democratisation in Malaysia such a welcome addition to both literatures. For starters, Khoo Ying Hooi situates her account of democratisation in Malaysia at the intersection of these two fields. And in doing so, she also gives us an especially rich application of social movement theory to a non-Western, non-democratic country. This is a must-read for scholars of social movements and democratisation alike.