何謂「東南亞客家」？當代台灣「客家研究」的多位學者把「東南亞客家」定義為「族群」；其中有部份學者揭露「東南亞客家」的身份認同與客家意識為「未開發族群」(underdeveloped ethnicity)。此番論述乃源自當代「族群研究」之理論。然而，上述論述必須放在東南亞各國的社會與歷史脈絡中加以解析方為恰當。以上「東南亞客家」論述之未盡善處亦促使了本論文的誕生，冀以對東南亞地區的「客家」進行更為深入的研究。 本研究的主旨在於說明十九世紀英殖民馬來亞的「客家」與華人「方言群」出現的因素與情境。歷史社會學研究輔助於原始歷史資料：海峽殖民地官方原始書信檔案（Straits Settlements Original Correspondence, CO 273）乃本論文的研究方法。本研究將由下列論述所構成：（一）「客家」與華人「方言群」如何於英殖民馬來亞政府對華人進行分類的過程中出現；（二）1870年代英殖民馬來亞政府制度的形成及其對華人秘密會社之鎮壓；（三）「族群理論」對詮釋「東南亞客家」的適用性，以及（四）現有的既存文獻對「客家」的後設理論，其中包涵中國、台灣與東南亞之「客家」。總括來說，十九世紀英殖民馬來亞的「客家」及其意涵乃先始於英國殖民政府對秘密會社之鎮壓，後建構自英殖民政府對馬來亞華人進行制度化的分類過程；然而，英殖民馬來亞的統治模式與族群分類亦同時受到「在地化」以及「跨國性殖民」的影響，進而形成辯證性的制度化過程。 What does it mean about “Hakka”in Southeast Asia? In contemporary Taiwan Hakka Studies, majority of authors tended to define the “Southeast Asian Hakka as a form of “ethnic group”; while some revealed the Hakka identity and consciousness among Southeast Asian Hakka as “underdeveloped ethnicity”. These statements usually meant a contemporary viewpoint which derived from the theories of ethnicity. However, such statements should be linked with the historical and political formation of different social structures within Southeast Asia countries. These statements, likewise, have contributed to the objective of this research in probing the connotation of “Hakka” in Southeast Asia. The purpose of this research is to elucidate the factors and circumstances leading to the emergence of “Hakka” and various Chinese dialect groups with particular reference to those in British Malaya during the nineteenth century. Sociological and historical studies assisted with first hand historical materials- Straits Settlements Original Correspondence in series CO 273 - were adopted in this research. This research is composed by several arguments. First, the emergence of the term“Hakka” and other Chinese dialect groups in the classification process of Chinese in British Malaya. Second, the suppression of Chinese secret societies by British colonial regulations and institutions during the 1870s. Third, the practicability of theory “ethnic group”in defining the“Southeast Asian Hakka”. Forth, the metatheory of various publications pertaining to “Hakka”in China, Taiwan and Southeast Asia. In conclusion, the connotations of“Hakka”in British Malaya were closely related with the internationality and localization of colonial experiences and implementation of political institutions for British Colonial Empire during nineteenth century. The connotation of“Hakka”in British Malaya was first formed through an instituted classification process of “Chinese”in relating to the formation of British colonial regulations and institutions in suppressing the Chinese secret societies as “Kheh” in Hokkien dialect; while substituted by the term “Hakka” in Cantonese dialect during 1931. Subsequently,“Hakka”has emerged for the census purpose of British Malaya while eventually became one of the“dialect groups”within Chinese society in present Malaysia and Singapore. Nevertheless, it is important to note that the classification process of“Chinese”and the emergence of “Hakka”in British Malaya during the nineteenth century does not presume and preclude the formation of others in the region of Southeast Asia at the same level.
