News
The shifting demographics of advanced economies bring pressing challenges, with low fertility rates and aging populations at the forefront. These phenomena are shaped by trends such as dual-income-no-kids (DINK) families, evolving societal norms about marriage and childbearing, and increasing career prioritisation among young adults. As societies grapple with the socio-economic consequences of these shifts, including […]
From chatbots in classrooms to AI assistants in workplaces, even religion is beginning to enter the digital age. The recent rise of robot monks in East Asia has sparked global fascination and debates over whether technology could one day replace spiritual leaders. In ‘Why Robot Monks Cannot Replace Human Faith’ (Eurasia Review, May 2026), Associate […]
How much trust should we place in opinion polls, especially when election outcomes or public sentiment contradict them at times? While polls are often criticised as biased and politically motivated, in ‘Polls are a “public good”, they deserve to be better understood’ (LSE Impact, May 2026), Assistant Professor Ozan Kuru (NUS Communications and New Media) […]
At a time when public life around the world is increasingly shaped by division, speed, and polarisation, a quiet act of walking across the United States has prompted wider reflection on peace, community, and social cohesion. In “Peace in Motion: A Buddhist Journey for Social Cohesion in a Divided World” (RSIS Commentary, 20 April 2026), […]
Southeast Asia, a major global agricultural hub, stands at a critical crossroads as it confronts food insecurity, environmental degradation, climate change, and growing socio-economic inequalities. ‘Southeast Asia Innovation Alliance for a Global Model of Future Agri-food Systems (SIGMA)’, an NUS Sustainable Futures Seed grant funded from 2025 to 2028, and led by Assistant Professor Xiangzhong […]
In 2023, the National Environment Agency (NEA) reported that Singapore generated a staggering 211,000 tonnes of textile waste, with a mere 2% being recycled. Blended textiles that combine natural and synthetic fibres are notoriously difficult to process and recycle (Damayanti et al., 2021). Additionally, the viability of textile recycling is mostly limited to 100% natural […]
What does a city sound like, and what does it smell like when no one is paying attention? Beyond skylines and infrastructure, urban life is saturated with sensory encounters that quietly shape how we live together. In Sensory Contact Zones in the City (Cambridge University Press, 2026), Professor Kelvin E. Y. Low (NUS Sociology and […]
When oil prices rise, the first signs may not always appear at the petrol station. They may show up in a school bus fee, a ferry surcharge, a grocery bill, a courier charge, or the cost of a home renovation. For Singapore, where much of daily life depends on imported energy, distant geopolitical conflict can […]
Singapore’s transformation into the metropolis it is today has drastically reduced its forest cover. Despite this, migrant and indigenous songbirds have adapted to Singapore’s environment since the 1950s, cementing their ecological role as a lasting feature of the island. In ‘Songbirds in a Garden City’, the sixth chapter of Singaporean Creatures: Histories of Humans and […]
As Singapore continues adapting to post-COVID workplace norms, flexible work arrangements (FWAs) have emerged as both a normalised workforce expectation and a source of tension within organisations. Although tripartite guidelines introduced in December 2024 require employers to formally consider employees’ requests for FWAs, ‘Why the stigma over flexible work persists in Singapore’ (Channel NewsAsia, May […]