March 11, 2019

Professor Tan Tai Yong from the NUS Department of History traced Singapore’s development alongside its dual personality as both city and state in a speech given at the IPS-Nathan Lecture Series, which was featured in The Straits Times.

According to Prof Tan, upon achieving independence in 1965, Singapore had to quickly reconstitute and reimagine itself. To this end, two processes had to occur, each reinforcing the other: state-building and nation-building. The former was driven by a single-minded commitment to the goal of survival. This fed into the latter, which required a much longer time, given the diversity of Singapore’s population as well as the lack of a common culture, struggle, and history. Furthermore, with global competition, Singapore had to actively and continuously connect with the rest of the world, while at the same time look after its population and build national identity within its shores.

Nevertheless, Singapore’s dual personality has not only enhanced its adaptability, but has also resulted in advantages in regulating its population and resolving urban issues. Moreover, as large nation-states turn inwards, globally-oriented cities like Singapore can become important international actors. Diversity is also a key strength, though managing it remains a complex task, owing to local discontentment and rising inequality.

Prof Tan suggests that a possible approach to these competing needs and wants is to look at them as two differing orientations – that there is a part of Singapore which is more oriented towards itself, inward-focused, or perhaps closed – even as Singapore also regards and markets itself as outward-looking, cosmopolitan, and open. Alternatively, one can consider Singaporeans as ’cosmolanders‘ (a portmanteau of ‘cosmopolitan’ and ‘heartlander’). Either way, there will be a constant need for accommodation, acceptance, and adaptation as the global and local both negotiate for space in Singapore.

Read the article here.