Existing literature on Singapore-China relations since the reopening of China in the late 1970s has generally been based on political relations and economic and trade co-operation, with no existing literature having explored the role of religion or Buddhism in particular. In “Buddhism in Singapore-China Relations: Venerable Hong Choon and His Visits, 1982 – 1990” (The […]

In “Reframing the Malay Past in Singapore’s History” (from Beyond Bicentennial Perspectives on Malays, published in July 2020), Associate Professor Sher Banu A.L. Khan (NUS Department of Malay Studies) writes about how Singapore’s history should be traced back to the 14th century, rather than only from 1918, which the PAP elite identified as the beginning of […]

The annual Singapore Street Festival Exhibition (SSF) aims to celebrate the youth community and is usually held between June and July. Events involving street art in SSF are especially interesting because the Singapore government has traditionally opposed street art and graffiti. In ‘Writing on the Wall: Street Art in Graffiti-free Singapore’ (International Journal of Urban […]

One month ago on 26 May, 2021, many Buddhists living in Singapore celebrated Vesak Day, which marks the birth, enlightenment, and death of Gautama Buddha. Vesak Day occurs on the 15th day of the fourth lunar month, which typically falls in May. In Singapore, a street procession takes place in the evening of Vesak Day […]

In “Recognising the roots of racism in Singapore” (AcademiaSG, 2021), Associate Professor Chong Ja Ian (NUS Department of Political Science) discusses the recent incidents of racial discrimination that have occurred in Singapore and the media’s varied responses towards them. He outlines the definition and history of Critical Race Theory and how certain media outlets have […]

Knowing our mother tongue allows us to make valuable connections to our extended family, personal history, and culture. However, raising multilingual children can be challenging for many families. Growing up, children tend to gravitate towards the language of their peers and larger community. In Singapore, that language is English, which is not only the dominant […]

In a commentary published by Channel News Asia, Dr Kelvin Seah Kah Cheng (NUS Department of Economics) writes about the overreliance on low-skilled foreign labour in the construction sector. The recent COVID-19 pandemic exposed the flaws of this strategy after a large portion of construction workers last year fell ill, causing delays in the construction […]

Assistant Professor Jack Chia (NUS Department of History) was recently featured on “History Mysteries”, a documentary hosted by Adrian Pang, where he was interviewed on the history of the long lost One Thousand Buddha Hilltop Temple in Singapore. The temple, more commonly known as the Thousand Buddhas Temple, was situated 80 metres above sea level […]