Publisher: World Scientific Publishing
ISBN: 9789819824717
At the heart of (Re)Defining Singapore lies a provocative and timely question: how does a small, super-efficient city-state—one that has stunned the world with its rapid rise from vulnerability to prosperity—redefine itself in an era marked by digital disruption, fluid identities and diminishing reverence for long-standing national narratives? This anthology of essays, written by 26 contributors across disciplines, engages this question with breadth, nuance and an eye on the nation’s evolving psyche.
The anthology unfolds in five parts across three interconnected segments. First is the legacy of “old Singapore” – the social compact forged in vulnerability, the meritocratic ethos that underpinned mobility, and the multicultural architecture that shaped everyday life. The contributors acknowledge these as hard-won achievements, but also reveal where such ideals strain under current realities.
The second segment examines the disruptive forces reshaping society — artificial intelligence, digital labour, borderless careers, shifting geopolitical landscapes and the rise of cosmopolitan identities. Younger Singaporeans increasingly see themselves as global citizens, prompting the editors to ask: Will they continue to cherish the values that defined earlier generations? The essays here grapple with these shifts not as threats but as catalysts, compelling Singapore to rethink what binds its people.
The third segment focuses on renewal: how Singapore might craft purpose, values and unity in a time when old certainties are loosening. Contributors debate what “the next Singapore story” should look like, and how to sustain relevance without clinging to nostalgia or overcorrecting toward novelty.
Stylistically, the book strikes a commendable balance. It is intellectually grounded without drifting into academic abstraction, and personal without becoming purely anecdotal.
Some essays offer data-driven analysis, while others share intimate reflections on belonging, ambition and generational identity. This interplay lends the book both altitude and intimacy, making it accessible to the policy-minded as well as general readers.
However, the breadth of the volume also reveals its limitations. The wide-angle approach means certain deeper structural issues — income inequality, migrant worker precarity, or Singapore’s evolving strategic posture — receive only cursory attention. The tone, leaning toward optimism and national cohesion, occasionally sidesteps sharper critique or uncomfortable dissent.
In exploring the generational “bridge,” the book compellingly outlines what must change, but is sometimes less forthcoming with details about how change might realistically unfold or achieve.
Despite these constraints, (Re)Defining Singapore succeeds in capturing a nation at a reflective milestone. At 60, Singapore stands between its founding mythology and its uncertain, opportunity-filled next act. The editors frame the central challenge memorably: What must change for Singapore to stay relevant and remain special?
For readers interested in culture, policy, identity and the evolution of nationhood, this anthology offers a thoughtful and engaging entry point. It does not attempt to be a final word — nor should it. Instead, it sparks the very discourse it argues is essential: that nation-building is not a completed project, but a continuing, evolving and shared responsibility.
Copy for review courtesy of (Re)Defining SG. The hardcover edition retails at SGD65 while the paperback edition is at SGD36.