IKON is a research institute that strives to pursue knowledge of the Occidental world with a specific emphasis on the development and impact of its civilization in various parts of the world. Occidental Studies is not the obverse of orientalism.  Neither is it a critique of the West nor the valourisation of the East.  Occidental Studies place great importance on the understanding of Occidental thought and philosophy and its values and cultures. Within Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Occidental Studies is classified under a research cluster called Multiculturalism within the Research niche National Resilience, Multiculturalism, and Globalization.

In its current stage of its development, and for the next few years, IKON will focus its efforts on building a team of core researchers, who as its founding Fellows will spearhead research and engage in related and complementary activities not only in various locations in the Occidental world but also at home in Malaysia.

Five research foci provide the major thrust of the research and other related activities of IKON. They are

 

Theory and Philosophy
History, Culture and the Impact of Science
Political Economy and International Security
Language and Intercultural Communication
Contemporary Cultures

 

These foci may be studied under two broad research areas, i.e., Communities, cultures and civilizations: Discourse and praxis, and Reconstructing of Security, in five distinct regions, i.e. Europe, Latin America, North America, Australasia, and the Nordic Region.  A multiple site approach is also important considering the porosity of borders in this era of globalization and the impact of diasporas worldwide. Currently there are three studies in progress.

Communities, cultures and civilizations: Discourse and praxis*
Studies focus on an interpretation and understanding of the philosophies and belief systems, cultures and values, and practices and discourses of peoples, cultures and civilizations of the Occidental world through an examination of textual and non-textual sources of information, largely (although not exclusively) from the non-Occidental perspective. The aim of such research is to engage in intercultural and intercivilisational dialogue and debate. 

Project 1: Eastern Perspectives of Western Discourses of the East   [more]

Reconstruction of Security*
Studies examine the issue of security from a constructivist perspective.  The theoretical shift from realism focuses on human security instead of state security.  More importantly, from the Nusantara vantage point, the study gives prominence to communities by moving it from the margin to the centre.

  

 

Project 1: A Comparative Study of American Contaiment Policy between Eastern Europe and Asia  [more]

Project 2 : The Development of the Malaysian Human Security Index  [more]