News
Living alone in later life is often treated as a signal of social risk. The one-person household is easy to identify in administrative data and, as a result, frequently used as a proxy for loneliness in policy and service delivery. However, this assumption can be misleading. In the opinion piece ‘When seniors live alone, it …
When seniors live alone, it doesn’t mean they are lonely Read More »
Located nearby each other, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore share many historical trends and demographic similarities that contribute to the complexity of the politics of race and ethnicity within their ethnically diverse populations. This has given rise to ‘racial culture wars’, which Associate Professor Daniel Goh (NUS Sociology and Anthropology) describes as complex, intersecting conflicts over …
Racial Culture Wars in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore Read More »
With one in four Singaporeans aged 65 and above, Singapore is now classified as a ‘super-aged’ nation, joining countries like Japan, Germany, and Italy. The Singapore government has taken deliberate steps to address and prepare for changing demographics. For example, the Action Plan for Successful Ageing introduced in 2015 by the Ministerial Committee on Ageing …
More Than Aging in Place: ‘Aging in Networks’ in Singapore Read More »
Did you know that Singapore boasts up to 54 surrounding islands, many of which were established through land reclamation post-independence? While most of these islands remain untouched, some play crucial roles in the city-state’s development. Given their relative obscurity and historical significance to most Singaporeans, ‘Urbanising Islands: A Critical History of Singapore’s Offshore Islands’, a …
Urbanising islands: A critical history of Singapore’s offshore islands Read More »
What does it mean to age well in a city where living alone is increasingly common? In ‘Ageing in Networks: Living Alone but Connected’ (Ageing & Society, 2025), Associate Professor Vincent Chua (NUS Sociology and Anthropology & NUS Centre for Family and Population Research), Associate Professor Chen-Chieh Feng (NUS Geography), and Professor Elaine Lynn-Ee Ho (NUS Geography & …
Section 377A, a colonial-era law that criminalised sex between consenting adult males in Singapore, was officially repealed on 3 January 2023. This came after the emergence of a global wave of “backlash politics” in the 21st century, marked by conservative and culturally retrogressive sentiments, particularly in response to the recognition of LGBT rights. Despite Singapore’s …
From Murakami’s simple egg salad sandwiches in The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle to the apples in Orwell’s Animal Farm, food has long served as a powerful metaphor and metonymy in literary fiction. In ‘Metaphors and Metonymies of Food in Four Asian Texts’ (Anthropocene Ecologies of Food, 2022), Associate Professor Chitra Sankaran (NUS English, Linguistics and Theatre …
Metaphors and Metonymies of Food in Four Asian Texts Read More »
This semester, our “Celebrating Singapore Studies: Sixty Years of Nationhood” campaign has been bringing NUS FASS research alive through thought-provoking events and a brand new video series that looks beyond the official success story to the everyday lives, contradictions, and hopes that truly shape Singapore. Here’s a quick recap of what we’ve enjoyed together so …
Celebrating Singapore Studies: A Vibrant Semester of Reflection as Singapore Turns 60! Read More »
International Relations (IR) scholarship has long grappled with its Western-centric roots, often sidelining regional insights that could enrich the global discourse. In Southeast Asia, particularly in Singapore, there is significant potential for theoretical contributions given the region’s rich history of colonialism, state-building, and economic development. However, the balance between addressing local experiences and conforming to …
The implementation of the enhanced Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) scheme at the beginning of 2025 will benefit around half a million Singaporeans through increased payouts and expanded coverage. The income eligibility cap for low-wage workers was raised from S$2,500 to S$3,000 a month, providing greater financial support and fostering continued wage growth. During his Budget …