Sembang Salon #1

"Sembang Salon" is a space for Malaysians to explore how history is written and why it matters. It’s a response to the lack of public discussion around our region’s past, the decline in historical literacy and understanding, and the disconnect many feel from history itself. We believe that discussions about the politics of history should not be restricted within the walls of elite universities. But rather, the public should be part of the conversation, especially to question, reflect, and rethink what history means to them.

Join Brendan Yeo and Idris Abdul Ghani from Imagined Malaysia in an open, hour-long discussion. Held twice a month at the Malaysia Design Archive, the conversation will revolve around one or more documents, ranging from op-eds and academic texts to photos and archival documents.

The name takes after enlightenment salons, which were social gatherings for intellectual exchange and political change, but with a distinctively Malaysian twist. For how do ideas stick without being able to "sembang-sembang" about them?

Register for our first session on 9 August here: https://forms.gle/NzuVP2vnXA25WXdUA