cosmopoleis

2004: Anthony Reid, Batson Lecture: Singapore between Cosmopolis and Nation, “Abstract” & “Pre-colonial cosmopoleis” & “Straits Settlements to Malaysia / Singapore” Seen from this perspective, the anomaly may be the twentieth century, with its attempt to impose an alien concept of ‘nation’ on the cosmopoleis which had taken root there. The Thai-ruled cosmopoleis in the northern half of the peninsula were also known for their intense variety of trading groups. The story is well known of how ideas of race and nation made their impact on these extremely diverse cosmopoleis in the 20ᵗʰ century.