Singaporeans are among the best educated and most connected peoples in the world. But there is broad agreement that we are not fully using these strengths for the collective good of society. Since 2019, we at AcademiaSG have advocated for more critical, public-facing scholarship, including dialogue and debate with civil society. Over the years, we […]
At its core, the exercise of determining the basic standard of living that everyone in Singapore should have requires recognition that all are equal in humanity, argue TEO YOU YENN and NG KOK HOE.
Appendix to Mai Sato’s analysis of government research on the death penalty.
MAI SATO reviews Singapore studies that purport to show that capital punishment enjoys public backing and is an effective deterrent. Sato finds these studies provide weaker evidence than claimed.
CHERIAN GEORGE analyses the ambiguities of Tharman Shanmugaratnam’s big win.
Professor Kenneth Paul Tan suggests that Singapore’s survival needs the cultivation of a tragic imagination – an awareness of how heroic virtues can lead to downfall if one is so consumed by one’s idealised image that one ignores one’s critics. Watch the video.
It is tempting to blame candidates and voters when Presidential Elections get too heated and threaten the dignity of the office. But the fault lies mainly with the system. Kevin Tan (National University of Singapore) and Cherian George (Hong Kong Baptist University) call for an overhaul.
CHRISTOPHER TREMEWAN (University of Auckland) reflects on the enduring ideas in the collection of 1980s essays, A Shift in the Wind. Tremewan suggests that current controversies may be signs that a system that protects ruling elites from robust checks and balances has run its course.
Dominic Nah (National Insitute of Education) will talk about his research examining classroom discussions about local poems including “Candles” by Alvin Pang.
Co-organised by AcademiaSG and the Malaysia and Singapore Society of Australia (MASSA), the panel discussion is now available for viewing.
