HS1002: SINGAPORE SOCIETY IN TRANSITION. Nanyang Technological University

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1 HS1002: SINGAPORE SOCIETY IN TRANSITION Nanyang Technological University Lecturer: Asst Prof Kamaludeen Mohamed Nasir Office: HSS Building #05-25 Telephone: Office Hours: By appointment Course Description Contemporary Singapore has been described by observers in many different ways. The country has been perceived by some as a model of economic success and multiethnic harmony. Others have criticized the high degree of state regulation in the nationstate. This course provides a sociological perspective on various aspects of Singapore society, from its historical formation to its post-independence social transformation. Issues to be covered include the question of national identity and culture. We examine whether Singaporeans possess a common identity and a culture to call their own. Matters concerning the exercise of political power and the maintenance of authority will also be analyzed. We explore methods of governance that shape society and individuals. Finally, we examine social divisions, for example, class, gender, and religious affiliations. Students will learn to develop the sociological imagination - the ability to relate personal problems of everyday life to the larger political, economic, social and cultural issues. General Expectations Students are expected to have perused all the readings before each lecture. Required readings will be uploaded onto edventure at least a week before the lecture. Films, newspaper articles, and other media content will also be used for this course. Students will occasionally be asked to provide critical comments on these materials. Hand in all assignments on time; late submissions are subjected to penalties unless accompanied by medical certificates or other legitimate proof of incapacity/incapacitation. Students are expected to demonstrate the ability to formulate and present rigorous arguments through written assignments. Please bring along your CLICKER for every class 1

2 Evaluation Term Paper: 30% of final grade Tutorial Participation and Class Attendance: 10% of final grade Class Presentation: 10% of final grade Final examination (consisting of essays): 50% of final grade Course Text Kamaludeen Mohamed Nasir and Bryan S. Turner (2014) The Future of Singapore: Population, Society and the Nature of the State (London: Routledge) Useful resources: Oxford Dictionary of Sociology (you will need your NTU computer account password to access this): l?book=t88&subject=s20 Course Schedule Week 1: The Sociological Imagination What is sociology and what do we mean by the Sociological Imagination? How do we go about studying Singapore sociologically? Schwalbe, Michael (2004) "Making Sense of the World Differently" in The Sociologically Examined Life (Third edition), McGraw-Hill Film: The History of Singapore (2010) Discovery Channel. Singapore: Wiley. Week 2: The Formation of Modern Singapore What is modernity? How did Singapore become the way it is today? Why do we remember certain portions of Singapore s history and not others? 2

3 Chapter 1 - Kamaludeen Mohamed Nasir and Bryan Turner (2014) Singapore s Population Dilemma pp Chapter 2 - Kamaludeen Mohamed Nasir and Bryan Turner (2014) Singaporean Demography from Past to Present: Fertility and Migration Trends pp Hong Lysa (2002) The Lee Kuan Yew Story as Singapore s History, Journal of Southeast Asian studies 33 (3): Week 3: Governing Singapore What do we mean by power and authority? How did certain individuals come to possess both? How is authority maintained and how has its exercise shaped Singapore and Singaporeans? Chapter 3 - Kamaludeen Mohamed Nasir and Bryan Turner (2014) Singapore s Soft Authoritarianism and Population Control pp Mauzy, K. Diane & R. S. Milne (2002) Locations of Power, in their Singapore Politics under the People s Action Party. London: Routledge, pp Chua, Beng Huat (2003) Multiculturalism in Singapore: An Instrument of Social Control, Race and Class 44(3): Film: 101 East: Singapore Elections (2011) by AlJazeera English Current Affairs Lounge. 24mins. Week 4: The Singaporean Culture Who exactly are Singaporeans? How is the Singaporean identity related to the formation of the nation-state? What is this thing called culture? Is there such a thing as a unique Singapore culture? How is culture related to the question of race and ethnicity? Chapter 4 - Kamaludeen Mohamed Nasir and Bryan Turner (2014) Conscription, the Singaporean Core and the Question of Loyalty pp Kwok Kian-Woon and Mariam Ali (1998) 'Cultivating Citizenship and National Identity, in Arun Mahizhnan and Lee Tsao Yuan (eds), Singapore: Re-engineering Success. Singapore. Oxford University Press, pp George, Cherian (2000) Neglected Nationhood: Singapore without Singaporeans?, in his Singapore: The Air-Conditioned Nation. Singapore: Landmark Books Pte Ltd, pp

4 Week 5: Social Stratification Who Gets Ahead? What is class? How are Singaporeans divided into different socio-economic statuses? What has class to do with the political-economy of Singapore and other forms of social divisions? Chua Beng Huat and Tan Joo Ean (1999) Singapore: Where the New Middle Class Sets the Standard, in Michael Pinches (ed.), Culture and privilege in capitalist Asia. London: Routledge, pp Chua, Vincent (2011) "Social Networks and Labour Market Outcomes in a Meritocracy," Social Networks 33(1):1-11. Ng Irene Y.H. and Grace Koh (2011) Chinese Singaporean Attitudes towards Poverty and Inequality: A Comparative Analysis, International Journal of Social Welfare 21(2): Week 6: Screening of Documentaries Film: Singapore Gaga (2005) a documentary by Tan Pin Pin. Singapore: Objectifs Films Pte Ltd. Film: Gods Must be Hungry (2005) produced by Oak 3 Films with Discovery Networks Asia. Week 7: Practicing Religion in Singapore What is religion? Are Singaporeans religious? What has religiosity to do with the modernization of Singapore? How do we account for the transformation in the patterns of religious practices? Pereira, Alexius A. (2005) Religiosity and Economic Development in Singapore, Journal of Contemporary Religion, 20 (2):

5 Goh, Daniel P. S. (1999) Rethinking Resurgent Christianity in Singapore, Southeast Asian Journal of Social Science 27(1): Lim, Francis (2012) The Eternal Mother and the State: Circumventing Religious Management in Singapore, Asian Studies Review 36(1): Week 8: Gender and Family What is the difference between sex and gender? How are the roles of men and women in Singapore constructed and for what purposes? How is the family related to gender identities and responsibilities? Chapter 5 Kamaludeen Mohamed Nasir and Bryan Turner (2014) Population Problems, Family Policies, and the Naturalization of Differentiated Deservedness (Youyenn Teo) pp Chapter 6 - Kamaludeen Mohamed Nasir and Bryan Turner (2014) Reproductive Citizenship, Governmentality and the Theory of Entitlement pp Tan, Kenneth Paul (2003) Sexing up Singapore, International Journal of Cultural Studies, 6(4): Week 9: Inter-Ethnic Relations - Minorities at Risk? What is ethnicity? How do we understand minorities sociologically? To what extent have education and state policies shaped the beliefs and conduct of Singaporeans? Chapter 7 - Kamaludeen Mohamed Nasir and Bryan Turner (2014) Foreign Talent and Popular Opposition to Migration pp Khoo, Angeline and Lim Kam Ming (2004) Trainee Teachers Stereotypes of Ethnic Groups in Singapore in Lai, Ah Eng, ed. Beyond Rituals and Riots: Ethnic Pluralism and Social Cohesion in Singapore, Singapore: Eastern Universities Press, pp Velayutham, Selvaraj (2009) 'Everyday Racism in Singapore', in A. Wise and S. Velayutham (eds.) Everyday Multiculturalism. Houndsmills: Palgrave Macmillan. Week 10: Consumerism - Between the Global and the Local What is consumerism? Why do Singaporeans consume certain commodities over others? What has consumption patterns to do with identity, social divisions and politics? 5

6 Ravenscroft N, Chua S and Keng Neo Wee L (2001) "Going to the Movies: Cinema Development in Singapore," Leisure Studies 20(3): Chua Beng Huat (2003), Framing Singapore s Consumption Culture in Life is Not Complete without Shopping: Consumption Culture in Singapore. Singapore: Singapore University Press, pp Jolynna Sinanan, Connor Graham and Kua Zhong Jie (2014) Crafted Assemblage: Young Women s Lifestyle Blogs, Consumerism and Citizenship in Singapore, Visual Studies 29(2): Week 11: Managing the Singaporean Space What is the Singaporean space and what does it entail? Who are the stakeholders in shaping these spaces? What are the considerations that go into determining the outcomes of these sites? Ganapathy, Narayanan and Lian Kwen Fee (2002) Policing Minority Street Corner Gangs in Singapore: A View from the Street, Policing & Society 12(2): Ho K. C., Zaheer Baber and Habibul Khondker (2002) Sites of Resistance: Alternative Websites and State-Society Relations, British Journal of Sociology 53(1): Neo, Harvey and Victor R. Savage (2002) Shades of Green, Fields of Gold: Representations, Discourse and the Politics of Golf in Singapore, Landscape Research 27(4): Week 12: Civil Society in Singapore What do we mean by a civil society? Does Singapore possess one? What roles does civil society play and how is it related to the practices of the state? Chapter 8 - Kamaludeen Mohamed Nasir and Bryan Turner (2014) Conclusion pp George, Cherian (2000), Civil Society: Rewriting the Laws of Singapore Politics, in his Singapore: The Air Conditioned Nation. Singapore: Landmark Books Pte Ltd, pp Koh, Tai Ann (2000), The Role of Intellectuals in Civil Society: Going against the Grain?, in Gillian Koh & Ooi Giok Ling (eds), State Society Relations in Singapore. Singapore: Oxford University Press, pp

7 Velayutham, Selvaraj (2009) 'Talking Cock': Dissent through Complaint and Humour in Singapore, in M. Butcher and S. Velayutham (eds.) Dissent and Cultural Resistance in Asian Cities. London: Routledge, pp Final Exam (Time and Venue): To be announced Academic Honesty All members of the NTU community are responsible for upholding the values of academic integrity in all academic undertakings. At the beginning of the semester, students are required to submit a signed declaration guaranteeing that all graded and non-graded work throughout the semester is original and was created without assistance from others except where explicitly allowed by the professor. Students are expected to have fully read current academic policies regarding academic honesty at before signing the declaration. No marks will be awarded until a signed declaration has been received by the professor. The declaration can be found at the end of the syllabus. 7