Matriliny and Modernity

An investigation of sexual politics and social change amongst the population of rural Malaysia, this text explores the links between gender, "adat perpatih" (the matrilineal customary law), and developments in the Malaysian state of Negeri Sembilan. Drawing on extensive fieldwork, the author shows that although tradition has survived colonialism and the growth of modernity in Malaysia over the last century, the future of "adat perpatih" is under threat.