Modules Description
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FMA1201B FS: Chinatowns: History and Myth |
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| Modular Credits |
4 |
| Workload | 0-3-0-3-4 |
| Prerequisite | The medium of instructions for this module is Chinese. Students must have obtained:(1) at least a B4 for (a) Higher Chinese at GCE 'O' level, or (b) Chinese Language at GCE 'AO' level (at GCE 'A' level examination); OR (2) at least a pass for (a) Chinese at GCE 'A' level., or (b) Higher Chinese at GCE 'A' level; OR (3) at least C grade for Chinese Language (H1CL) at GCE 'A' level; OR (4) at least a pass for (a) Chinese Language and Literature (H2CLL) at GCE 'A' level, or (b) Chinese Language and Literature (H3CLL) at GCE 'A' level OR(5) Equivalent qualifications may be accepted. |
| Preclusion | Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| The freshman seminar will engage students in critical thinking of Chinatowns in history and myth. What are the sterotypes and perceptions of Chinatown among people in the West and the East? What are the facts and what are the misconceptions? How have Chinatown evolved over time? What is the fate of Chinatowns in this changing world? Students will investigate the representation of the Chinese and the Chinatowns through historical accounts, novels, poetry, photographs, cartoons, films, and personal memory, etc. The seminar will focus on the Chinatowns in North America and Southeast Asia, and comparative analysis will be encourages whenever possible. | |
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FMA1201C FS: Sex, Gender and Media |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 3-0-0-0-7 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| Media have a strong cultural and social impact. How "strong" that impact is, and how to measure it, has been a subject of great debate among media scholars. This seminar will explore the way sex and gender are represented in various media. Specifically, the seminar will critically examine, and encourage students to reflect on, sexual representations of young people, gays, men, and women in advertising, marketing, films, video games, and TV and the impact these images might have on society and an individual's self-perception. | |
| FMA1202C FS: Social Media and Everyday Life by Dr TT Pillai Sreekuma Offered by Department of Communications and New Media |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-0-7 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| The emergence of Social Media such as blogs, social networking, audio-visual sharing, podcasts, etc. marks a major transformation in the way everyday life is organised. Multiple platforms, technologies and user group dynamics have helped shape social media into a complex domain of human interaction. The module seeks to discuss theories and perspectives on Social Media and its impact on society. The seminar would explore how social media theories grapple with rapid changes in social relations and individual experiences in the information age. A critical exposition of basic concepts and theories of social media will empower students to understand and analyse everyday digital experience with reflection and awareness. | |
| FMA1203C FS: Smart Cities by Mr Kan Siew Ning and Dr Yew Choon Loong, Jude Offered by Department of Communications and New Media |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-3-4 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| All big cities have several things in common – wealth creation, big companies, talented people, high population density and the challenge of air pollution. New York, London, Tokyo, Paris, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore, all face similar challenges of high population density and quality of living. This module will examine how more people can be packed into a limited city space while still providing the same quality of life. It will also explore how to achieve economic wealth while still fulfilling the CSR responsibilities of sustaining a “Green Planet”. Students will learn about smart city planning, design concepts, technology enablers and implementation considerations for smart city living. | |
| FMA1204C FS: Saving Face by Ms. Julyn Kang Offered by Department of Communications and New Media |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-3-4 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| Face is our socially situated identity that is constantly being negotiated during social interaction – we can lose face, save face or give face to others. Adroit face management is key to successful communication and interpersonal relationships in our lives. This module seeks to explore ways in which we establish and manage identity through communication. Using practical examples, it will also guide students to develop positive facework skills in a variety of scenarios and settings. It will end with a look at cultural differences in the concept and practice of facework and examine how these in turn contribute to intercultural conflict. |
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| FMA1201D FS: Contemporary Issues in Trade Policy by Assoc Prof Shandre M. Thangavelu Offered by Department of Economics |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 2-1-0-3-4 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| The freshman seminar will introduce students to current economic thoughts and their application to economic development and policy in an open economy. The course will cover specific issues in trade policy, FDI activities, foreign labour and the role of international organisations such as the IMF and World Bank. It will also discuss the importance and differences in economic systems (institutions) on economic development, with particular emphasis on Asia and South-East Asian countries. | |
| FMA1202D FS: Taking Risks: Economics, Psychology, and Biology by Prof Chew Soo Hong Offered by Department of Economics |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-2-5 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| Risk taking lies at the heart of business and the economy. Biology, psychology, and economics are converging today into a unified discipline which can deliver a revolutionary approach to understanding how people take risk, to realize greater returns or for recreation. We shall begin with discussing economic models of risk taking incorporating psychological considerations and how they are tested in choice experiments. Beyond economic outcomes and psychological factors, evidence points to the role of biology, through genes, hormones, and neurochemicals, in modulating risk taking observed in the laboratory and in the field with important ramifications for the real world. | |
| FMA1201F FS: Representing War by Prof John Richardson and Assoc Prof Barbara Ryan Offered by Department of English Studies |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-0-7 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| Human beings figure war through words, drama and pictures. This module looks at some of those representations from different periods and different cultures. There is a very strong emphasis on student participation, with students being expected to ask for themselves how battle, warriors, enemies and victims are represented, and what attitudes towards war and its possible justification lie behind them. The field is vast, and the selection of texts necessarily limited and distorted by the lecturers' knowledge. Because of this, students must supplement these texts with others of their own. | |
| FMA1202F FS: Heroism and Society by Assoc Prof Robbie Goh Offered by Department of English Studies |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-3-4 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| Society has always needed its heroes - perhaps all the more since 9/11 - and yet the kinds of heroes it has needed have complex nuances, and have also changed over time. This module allows students to explore and discuss the social need for and construction of heroism from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, including the socio-political, historical, cultural and literary. | |
| FMA1203F FS: Should Friction Be Censored by Dr Jane Nardin Offered by Department of English Language and Literature |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-3-4 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| We will examine the reasons why governments, parents, and religious groups have wanted to suppress or censor works of literature, especially novels, plays, and films.We will also examine the arguments of those who believe that the censorship of fiction does more harm than good. We will read three novels that have been censored and discuss the reasons why they were considered offensive or dangerous. Finally, we will review and assess the history of literary censorship in Singapore. | |
| FMA1201G FS: A Global Culture? by Dr Pamela Shurma-Smith Offered by Department of Geography |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-2-5 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| In the light of increased flows of people, capital and technology and information, issues relating to local cultural specificity versus apparent global uniformity exercise both "ordinary" people and cultural specialists worldwide. Theories of globalisation, cosmopolitanism, westernisation abound. This module will encourage students to examine their own position as members of a global university in a global city and to consider the cultural processes at work in more marginalised environments. | |
| FMA1202G FS: Producing Nature, Consuming Nature by Dr Harvey Neo Offered by Department of Geography |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-2-5 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| This seminar will explore the complex relationships between a consumerist world and the natural environment. Contemporary environmental issues, example climate change, industrial pollution, land degradation, deforestation and bio‐food safety have shown that capitalism is both a socio‐economic as well as a socio‐ecological system. The latter being constituted through the uneven transformation and production of "nature" in different places. Students will appreciate how economics, politics, history and ecology have transformed our natural environment. Students will read about three readings a week. Classes will be structured such that students will grow in their ability to read, understand and critique these resources progressively. | |
| FMA1201H FS: Australian Culture by Assoc Prof Ian Gordon Offered by Department of History |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-0-7 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| This freshman seminar will provide students with an opportunity to examine Australian Society and Culture through a study of literature, films, political structures, foreign policy, social movements, and popular music. Students will investigate what it means to be Australian and just what Australian culture might be. | |
| FMA1202H FS: Humour by Assoc Prof Yong Mun Cheong Offered by Department of History |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-0-7 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| Humour abounds everywhere and everyday, past and present. How and what does humour reveal about society and the world? What is the function of humour? How does humour contribute to an understanding of society? How do society and the world shape the kind of humour that surface? These questions will constitute the puzzle for this Freshman Seminar. | |
| FMA1203H FS: The Space Race by A/P Timothy P. Barnard Offered by Department of History |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-3-4 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| This module will provide students with an opportunity to examine efforts to go from the earth to the moon from a variety of perspectives ranging from the Cold War, engineering, exploration, art, and culture. Working in a small group and individually, students will also be introduced to research, writing and presentation skills. | |
| FMA1204H FS: War Memories: From Anne Frank to Changi Prison by Dr Mia Lee Offered by Department of History |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-3-4 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| This module will give students the opportunity to analyse how controversies stemming from the Second World War have been understood, judged, and depicted. Course readings and discussions will focus on four events and their historical representation: the U.S decision to deploy the atomic bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Holocaust, the military strategy of bombing German civilian targets, and the Japanese occupation of Singapore. In this module, students will also develop essay writing and presentation skills. | |
| FMA1205H FS: Decolonization in the 20th Century by Dr Masuda Hajimu Offered by Department of History |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-0-7 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| This seminar introduces first-year students to one of the most significant historical events in the global history of the past century: decolonization. The seminar’s topics include: empire and colonialism, resistance and collaboration, the Cold War, nationalism, issues following decolonization, and the legacy of colonialism. Through reading and discussing primary and secondary texts, this seminar aims to expose students to new arenas of research, and provide them an opportunity to learn skills for active and independent research at the university level. | |
| FMA1206H FS: Travel and the Historian by Dr Sharon Low Offered by Department of History |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-0-7 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| The aim of this Freshman Seminar is to introduce students to the use of travel narratives as sources for historians. Students will be engage with different forms of travel and their productions to explore such themes as exploration, gender, race and culture. Working individually and in groups, students will have an opportunity to hone their research, writing and oral presentation skills. | |
| FMA1207H FS: Biopolitics by Dr. ISHII Akiko Offered by Department of History |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-0-7 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| How did the lives of human beings become objects of governance? Introduced by Michel Foucault in the 1970s, the concept of biopolitics has been one of the most critical tools in investigating the control and regulation of different levels of human life—from individual bodies to populations. Through examining the production and use of medical and scientific knowledge of human life in imperial, colonial, and national histories, this module explores historical processes in which human lives gradually came to be included in various practices of political power. Discussion topics include: race, gender/sexuality, public health and hygiene, population control, and eugenics. | |
| FMA1201J FS: Generations by Assoc Prof Thang Leng Leng Offered by Department of Japanese Studies |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-2-5 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| This freshman seminar expands the students' perspective on generations by engaging them in a critical understanding of the multidisciplinary field of intergenerational studies. What happen when generations drift apart? What happen when generations unite? How are generations construed in consumption, care, policies, familial and extra-familial relations across cultures? The seminar engages the students through ethnographic texts, films, policy case studies, field trips and their own reflections on intergenerational exchanges | |
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| FMA1201K FS: The Civilisation of Islam in the Malay World by Assoc Prof Syed Farid Alatas Offered by Department of Malay Studies |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-2-5 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| This seminar examines Islamic civilisation in the Malay world with focus on the cultural and literary manifestations of Islam. The main topics covered are: (i) The traditional art forms of literature, music and art that developed in the Malay world; (ii) Contemporary art forms such as ceramics, batik, and modern calligraphy, modern literature, and the varieties of contemporary Malay music. When possible, live music performances, visits to museums, and guest lecturers by scholars and performers from Singapore and abroad will also be included in the curriculum | |
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| FMA1201L FS: Crime and the Justification for Punishment by Prof Ten Chin Liew Offered by Department of Philosophy |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-0-7 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| Punishment is usually regarded as the fitting response to crime. But what is the justification for punishment? One view is that punishment produces the best consequences in reducing crime without too great costs. A rival view is that the wrongdoing of the offender deserves punishment, whether or not punishment is effective in reducing crime. This module critically discusses different justifications for punishment and related issues about the appropriate amount of punishment for a particular crime, the rationale for excusing some offenders, such as those who are mentally ill, from punishment, and the alternatives to punishment as responses to crime. | |
| FMA1201M FS: Free To Be Me? Contesting Liberty and its Limits by Dr Ethan Putterman Offered by Department of Poliical Science |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-0-7 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| What does it mean to be free? This freshman seminar explores this question in the context of critical analyses of the topic by leading 18th, 19th and 20th century Western political thinkers. Issues relating to the meaning, limits and quandaries of freedom will be examined and discussed. Writings by Isaiah Berlin, Albert Camus, John Stuart Mill Robert Nozick and Michael Sandel will be read. | |
| FMA1202M FS: Popular Culture and Power by Dr Erik Mobrand Offered by Department of Political Science |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-0-7 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| Both popular culture and politicians set out visions of justice and injustice. To what extent do our ideas of legitimacy and good leadership come from popular culture? Why do celebrities sometimes make it into public office? Has the media made politics more theatrical? In this seminar, we explore the linkages between popular culture and public power. | |
| FMA1203M FS: Globalisation and Migration by Dr Kevin McGahan Offered by Department of Political Science |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-3-4 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| This freshman seminar examines why people cross national borders and the implications of such movements in an era of globalisation. The first part of the class will survey general explanations about the causes and consequences of transnational migration. In addition, it will study how migration is seen from different prespectives, including historical, economics, security, and human rights. The latter half of the class will address contemporary issues related to the politics of global migration, namely refugees, internally displaced persons, and human smuggling. | |
| FMA1204M FS: Just and Unjust Wars by Prof Terry Nardin Offered by Department of Political Science |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-3-4 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| War - organised violence between human groups - is older than recorded history. What moral beliefs governed warfare in its earliest periods and how have these beliefs changed over time? How is was understood in different religions or cultures, such as those of Christianity and Islam? Is war always wrong? as pacifists argue? Or can war be just, or even holy? How should we think about the ethics of war? | |
| FMA1205M FS: Authoritarianism by Dr Terence Lee Offered by Department of Political Science |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-3-4 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| With all but a handful of states now considered democratic and the increasing number of societies democratizing, there seems to be little practical need to understand authoritarian politics. Authoritarianism is resilient and manifold, however. About fifty countries in the world today are considered not free and many more considered to be partly free. This seminar examines the following themes: What is authoritarian rule? How does it emerge? How is it sustained? How does it end? | |
| FMA1206M FS: Food Politics by Mr Matthew Lepori and Prof Ted Hopf Offered by Department of Political Science |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-3-4 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| This module will examine the production, distribution, and consumption of food in the global political economic system. The commodification, industrialization, and internationalization of food will be investigated in the context of colonial history, contemporary development practices, and international economic institutions. The causes of hunger and famine will also be investigated, as will the challenge posed by political ecology, which invites a rethinking of the production and consumption of food. | |
| FMA1201N FS: Music on the Brain by Prof George Bishop Offered by Department of Pyschology |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-3-4 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| This freshman seminar will engage students in an exploration the question of why it is that music affects us the way it does. Music is a universal aspect of culture and different musical selections and styles evoke a wide variety of emotions. Why is this? This question will be explored through consideration of the nature of music, its physical characteristics, the sensory processes involved in music perception and the neurological and cognitive processes involved in our response to music. | |
| FMA1202N FS: Neuroeconomics: Brain on money by Prof Mullette-Gillman, O'Dhaniel Alexander Offered by Department of Psychology |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-3-4 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| We will explore the fascinating fields of Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroeconomics. By exploring recent research, we will examine how our brains make decisions – examining the neurobiology of gambling, wine evaluation, dieting, and even how hormones and genes can alter how you respond to others (altruism and morality). We will start off with an initial orientation on the brain and research techniques, and then take a discussion level approach to exploring these intriguing experiments. The focus will be the use of primary literature to facilitate critical thinking skills. Students will write weekly reaction papers and lead presentation on one paper. | |
| FMA1201P FS: Meanings and Leanings: Is There A Reason Why? by Dr Rosaleen Ow Offered by Department of Social Work |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-3-4 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| This module explores the concept of 'meaningfulness' and 'spirituality', beliefs, values and ethics among individuals and groups from the perspective of different life stages and life styles. The question revolves around whether the meanings people hold about life in general lead to particular leanings in making decisions in life. The seminars do not attempt to define 'right' or 'wrong' worldviews but aim to generate debate from multiple perspectives according to the expertise and interests of seminar leader who may be from the student group itself. The seminars include weekly discussions, writing papers, and making individual presentations. | |
| FMA1201P FS: Meanings and Leanings: Is There A Reason Why? by Dr Rosaleen Ow Offered by Department of Social Work |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-3-4 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| This module explores the concept of 'meaningfulness' and 'spirituality', beliefs, values and ethics among individuals and groups from the perspective of different life stages and life styles. The question revolves around whether the meanings people hold about life in general lead to particular leanings in making decisions in life. The seminars do not attempt to define 'right' or 'wrong' worldviews but aim to generate debate from multiple perspectives according to the expertise and interests of seminar leader who may be from the student group itself. The seminars include weekly discussions, writing papers, and making individual presentations. | |
| FMA1202P FS: 'Me' - Apart of A Part of Mankind? Looking at Youth by A/P Irene Ng and Dr Peace Wong Offered by Department of Social Work |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-4-3 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| This module offers opportunities for students to understand youths as an individual from the lifespan perspective and appreciate the challenges faced by youths in the school, family and peer contexts. In addition, the influence of media and social policies in shaping the values and behaviours of youths will be explored. Critically, students will examine their socially constructed worldview concerning and develop a greater awareness of one’s values/attitudes towards youths.
The seminar involves fieldwork participation in voluntary welfare organisations, discussions, reflection papers, and presentations in a peer learning context. Students will have opportunities to develop written, oral and critical thinking skills. |
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| FMA1203P FS: Understanding Another World: Living with Low Income by Dr Rosaleen Ow Offered by Department of Social Work |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-4-3 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| This module offers opportunities for students to learn topics related to the needs and challenges of families in Singapore living on a very low income. These topics include areas such as the management of family finances, developmental needs of children, the nature of formal and informal social support in the community, social mobility and social policy. The seminar involves fieldwork participation in voluntary welfare organisations, discussions, reflection papers, and presentations in a peer learning context. Students will have ample opportunities to develop their written, oral communication and critical thinking skills through written assignments, reflection papers and classroom presentations. | |
| FMA1204P FS: Connecting with Older Adults by Dr Alex Lee and Dr Hong Song Lee Offered by Department of Social Work |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-4-3 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| This module enables students to consider the experience of ageing through observation, interaction and understanding the life and challenges faced by older adults. The influence of media, policies, service provision and stereotype perceptions on the aging experience will be explored, including the older adult’s responses to these influences. Critically, students will examine their socially constructed worldview and develop greater awareness of values and attitudes towards aging.
The seminar involves fieldwork participation in voluntary welfare organisations, discussions, reflection papers, and presentations in a peer learning context. Students will have opportunities to develop written, oral and critical thinking skills. |
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| FMA1201Q FS: Love Actually? The Social Construction of Romantic Love by Assoc Prof Paulin Straughan Offered by Department of Sociology |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-0-7 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| This freshman seminar will engage students in critical understanding of romantic love. The notion of romantic love, expressed through courtship and marriage, is ubiquitous in popular culture. In our everyday lives, we embrace being in love as a pre-condition for couple-hood and marriage. But what is love? The seminars will investigate love as a social construct, and examine the various social and cultural factors that influence how we appreciate and understand romantic love in contemporary societies. | |
| FMA1202Q FS: Streetscapes in Singapore by Assoc Prof Ho Kong Chong Offered by Department of Sociology |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-3-4 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| Streetscapes in Singapore represent an attempt to understand different facets of Singapore society; the space of encounters between different groups; state-society relations over regulations and transgressions; a symbiotic organisation of activities and people to make up a scene; how celebrations and ceremonies are played out in the form of street festivals, fairs, and processions. | |
| FMA1203Q FS: Contemplating Theme Parks by A/P Maribeth Erb Offered by Department of Sociology |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-3-4 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| This module offers a sociological and historic look at the theme park, a type of leisure increasingly ubiquitous in the contemporary environment. Through the examination of various theme parks, and studies that critically access their meanings and roles in the contemporary society, students will be challenged to think critically abotu easpects of leisure and popular culture that shape our world views. They will also be challenged to think about questions such as "What is culture?"; "What is authentic culture?; and "How does the culture change and adapt acroess the globe in this age of mobility?". | |
| FMA1201R FS: Singapore's Little India: 'A Community Space?' by A/P Rajesh Rai Offered by Department of South Asian Studies |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-3-4 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| The module explores the emergence of ‘Little India’ along its well-known main street, Serangoon Road, which is defined by ubiquitous retail outlets dealing with things ‘Indian’, from groceries, to puja items to clothing to cooked food. But ‘Little India’ has also been a multi-ethnic and multi-religious space. Its identity has been produced by a combination of historical factors. The module undertakes a physical and cultural mapping of this site paying attention to the commercial, religious, cultural and tourism-related practices enacted here. Students will be provided with an interdisciplinary framework (historical, anthropological, urban studies) to analyse the development of ‘Little India’. | |
| FMA1201S FS: Thinking about the Supernatural in Southeast Asia by Dr Irving Chan Johnson Offered by Department of Southeast Asian Studies |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-1-6 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| In this class students will be introduced to the culture of supernaturalism in Southeast Asia. Students will be introduced to different popular beliefs in one of the world's most culturally rich and diverse areas. Students will not only critically read and think about ethnographies and fictional writings surrounding the supernatural but also watch films, reflect upon and think through the weird and wonderful ghosts, ghouls and monsters that populate Southeast Asia's complex belief systems. Particular emphasis will be placed upon discussing the role of supernaturalism in the everyday lives of urban Southeast Asians in an age marked by religious extremism, globalisation and super-modernity. | |
| FMA1202S FS: Sources of Modern Identities by Prof Goh Beng Lan Offered by Department of Southeast Asian Studies |
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| Modular Credits Workload Prerequisite Preclusion |
4 0-3-0-3-4 Nil Other Freshman Seminar modules |
| Living in a modern world, we are often subject to and bombarded by a wide range of social, ethno-cultural, moral, and political identities. The nation-state, market, cyberspace, social groups, and self are major sources of modern identifications today. How do we uncover and map the different types of identifications that impinge on and surround us? How do we reconcile them with our own moral sources and use them to reaffirm our ordinary existence as thinking and ethical individuals? This module will explore these issues in the context of Southeast Asian experiences. | |