News
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 […]
Contemporary workers are facing a tougher reality than previous generations, and the picture is getting grimmer across several fronts. In ‘The modern worker in trouble’ (The Business Times, May 2026), Dr Georgios Georgiou (NUS Economics) argues that difficulties which plague the current generation span across job security, work-life balance, and housing affordability. Workplace hardship begins […]
A key member of the Culicidae family, mosquitoes have evolved from being a minor nuisance to a formidable public health threat as carriers of deadly diseases, particularly in tropical Singapore. Associate Professor Timothy Barnard (NUS History) delves into the historical efforts to monitor, regulate, and eradicate these insects in the context of Singapore’s transformation into […]
As digital technologies become more embedded in everyday life, the nature of sexual harm is shifting in ways that increasingly challenge existing regulations and social understanding. In Singapore, recent developments show how image-based sexual abuse has evolved alongside advances in artificial intelligence (AI), transforming from the non-consensual sharing of real images into the creation and […]
Singapore, though a relatively young city-state, boasts a rich animal history that reflects its evolving relationship with nature amidst rapid urban transformation. In ‘Tilapia, Travel, and the Making of a Singaporean Creature’, the first chapter of Singaporean Creatures: Histories of Humans and Other Animals in the Garden City (NUS Press, 2024), edited by Associate Professor […]
The “Taixu in Singapore: A 100-Year Commemoration” exhibition, curated by Associate Professor Jack Meng-Tat Chia (NUS History), commemorates the centenary of the renowned Chinese Buddhist monk Taixu’s first visit to Singapore in 1926. Taixu (1890–1947) was one of the most influential figures in twentieth-century Buddhism, known for his efforts to modernise Buddhist thought and institutions […]