By Braema Mathiaparanam As we went into the nation-building phase, with the ruling party taking over much of the decision-making and implementation for the betterment of the people of Singapore, it is my view that much of this early community-spiritedness gave way to an economic pragmatism. This meant that most people were focused on singular […]

By Sylvia Lim (SP 201, Page 25) Singaporeans must feel empowered at home. To this end, it is felt that the government should retreat from spheres of life that are not central to government functions, and allow authentic leadership to grow organically. Examples of such spheres include sports associations, consumer groups, and grassroots organisations. By facilitating […]

By Eleanor Wong – In our national discussions, rootedness (or its supposed lack) is often framed as a matter for concern or worry. This problematising of rootedness seems to assume a narrative about nationhood and country that requires citizenship to be a lifetime commitment. (These days I am not sure that even people in love […]

By Cheong Kah Shin, Debbie Soon, and Zhou Rongchen – Post-election, Singapore’s policy makers have been examining the nation’s shifting political paradigm in the face of a better-educated and more engaged citizenry. How should the state respond to calls for more public goods? How should society find its collective footing forward in engendering a more […]

By: Rachel Hui and Danielle Hong Singapore, despite being developed, was one of the few places he believed “an upwardly mobile society” was possible, said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance and Manpower Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam. He states this case at a dialogue on “Governing for an inclusive society”, the closing session at the Singapore Perspectives Conference. Upstream […]

By Rachel Hui and Sarjune Ibrahim S/O Sitheek – Developments in the past decade bear witness to how Singapore’s connection to the global economy has not only produced an economic miracle but also brought keener competition both at home and abroad. Much attention has been paid to the widening income divide, structural unemployment and the necessity […]

Arun Mahizhnan – Proponents of new technology tend to proclaim it as the revolutionary tool that would change the world; detractors respond with customary yawn. Arun Mahizhnan revisits the age-old debate. In a recent, characteristically thought-provoking article, The Economist wrote about how Reformation leader Martin Luther “went viral” in the 16th century, half a millennium before […]