In his article, Geoffrey Benjamin talked about the various problems to do with Singapore’s ‘Multiracialism’ and that the four cultures were pressured to demonstrate their uniqueness while underplaying their similarities. In my essay, I shall show that to a large extent, many of the examples which he observed are still observable today, though perhaps manifested in different ways.
The first thing he pointed out was the tendency for Singaporeans to show particular concern for one’s ethnic identity. We can still see that happening in the Excerpt B for Question 3, Taxi Tales on a Crooked Bridge by Charlene Rajendran (2009) where a taxi driver is so concerned with the author’s race. In another example, the ICA (2013, Feb 20) had to clarify that
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This “Instant-Asia” portrayal of our Singapore culture is still very much alive in our Singapore Tourism Board’s promotion of our country (See Appendix A).
He also mentioned the vignette of the four interlocked hands with differently hues. Though it is no longer at the back of our ten-dollar currency note, it has now been replaced by the portrayal of musical instrument to represent the different races, namely pipa, kompang, veena and violin, on the fifty-dollar currency note which still seeks to send the same “separate-but-equal-status” message.
The constant reiteration of the Chinese-Malay-Indian-Eurasian categorization in our national census is still very prevalent, though the category of Eurasian has now been changed to Others, as seen in our Statistical Tables from Yearbook 2014 (See Appendix B). The Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) by HDB is yet another example of this. Though the intention behind it is “to promote racial integration and harmony” (HDB, 2014), such acts may unintentionally heighten Singaporean’s senses to this thing called
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Also, during each Chingay, there would be almost definitely have a representation of the Malay, Indian and Eurasian culture even though it is primarily a Chinese parade.
He also mentions our television programmes which are usually performed by racially homogenous casts that corresponds to the language used. To this day, such segregation of TV programme is still found with Channel 8 and U for the Mandarin programmes, Suria for Malay and Vasantham for the Tamil. However, his comment about the arts unlikely to gain official support in Singapore seems to be no longer valid. In fact, based on statistics from the National Arts Council, government funding for the arts have climbed each year to reach $164.2 mil in 2012 (MCYS, 2013).
Another observation that no longer stands is the practice of basing the children of ethnically mixed marriages on one of the parents, usually the father. With effect from 1st January 2011, parents of mixed-marriages are given the flexibility and choice to choose what race would be recorded or even the option to reflect both races of both parents (ICA,
In Re-examining the Rhetoric of the “Cultural Border,” an essay by Heewon Chang. She examines the space between different cultures in a pluralistic society. She identifies the cultural border or boundary, using a quote from F. Erickson, “cultural boundary refers to the presence of some kind of cultural difference…A border is a social construct that is political in origin.” (95) Chang defines “cultural borderland as a ‘space’ created when two or more cultures and races occupy the same territory.” Chang challenges the idea that cultures remain defined by physical or even ideological boundaries. She contends, there is a complete blending of cultures that defies cultural borders and boundaries. Chang uses ethos, logos, and refutation to effectively
Race figured prominently in the development of immigration policies in the U.S. It had been most important characteristic used to determine whether or not one would be considered an American for many years. Predetermined by earlier race relations between Americans of the European and African descend, the black and white paradigm was challenged with an arrival of Asian Indian immigrants. Their dark skin hue and Aryan ancestry put this group of immigrants in an ambiguous position in regards to the right of U.S. citizenship. It is through a case-by-case process of determining one’s eligibility for naturalization that the difference between white and non-white categories had been clarified, contributing to the justification of social inequality and the formation of unassimilable groups of Asian immigrants.
There are two different perspectives towards the term of ethnic enclaves: singularity and multiplicity outlook. The term was separated into two by confusions created by misinterpretation of scholarly definition. Sanders and Nee claimed that these districts contain “immigrant groups which concentrate in a distinct spatial location and organize a variety of enterprises serving their own ethnic market and/or the general population” (Luk, & Phan, 2006, 18). This was taken directly off Portes’ publication. This denotation leads people to conduct further research on multiplicity perspective.
Firstly, they used immigration to show the impact it has on race & ethnic identification. The changes in immigration laws have helped to move the demographics of more than one category. The influx of educated immigrants and the skillsets that they bring with them has helped to push the typology of categories for the groups that they belong to, it has also helped to move the relative positon of those groups in the social order. As a shift in the economic and educational achievements of immigrants are pushing the framework of each category, it is leading to an increase in the heterogeneity between and within the racial & ethnic groups. Changes in immigration is also leading to a change in the social relations within and between groups, as it is leading to increased interracial interactions in schools, workplaces and households. This is shifting the boundaries of this category as well. Secondly, the authors use multiracialism or hybridity, which is the ability of individuals to fit into multiple categories. It is seen that over time individuals are identifying themselves with multiple racial & ethnic categories, this is due to increased similarities between shared attributed by different groups. Increased interaction between groups has led to the identification of these similarities, and therefore has not only shifted the typology of categories but also the
Roth, W. 2005. The End of the One-Drop rule? Labeling of Multiracial children in Black Inermarriages. Sociological Forum, 20(1), 35-67
The key place to begin with the discussion of conceptions of ‘us’ and ‘them’, and how they have been used in the process of self-definition, is Edward Said’s groundbreaking work Orientalism. In t...
The critics argue that multiculturalism ultimately favors one community than another, exacerbating conflict, ethnic difference and limiting the individual’s right to self-identity (Prato 2009: 2). They argue that the fundamental problem of multiculturalism is that its meaning differs from scholars to scholars (Watson 2000, Parto: 3).
According to 2000 U.S. census, 2.4 % of the US population which report themselves as people who have two or more races. (United States). The number of interracial couples has reached to 1.6 million, which account for almost 4 % of U.S. marriages. ( Fletcher, par. 3 ). In a melting pot country like the United States, where immigration and emigration rates are high, inter-cultural marriage has become an inevitable by- product of mobility. Interracial marriage refers to a marriage which consists of couples with two different racial backgrounds. For example, a Chinese women married to an American. While the intermarried couples have to adapt their racial differences, their cultural background would assert a significant influence on the development of their offspring. In addition, society has also held different views on them. Children raised in a interracial family are often believed to encounter problems like a feelings of alienation, a sense of low-esteem, loss of self- identity, culture and tradition, which may cause personality disorders and affect the child’s social behaviors. However, there are also positive assumptions about biracial children like better language ability and higher adaptability to the society.
multiculturalism hype is not all it is cut out to be and segregates communities rather
In today’s society, it is acknowledgeable to assert that the concepts of race and ethnicity have changed enormously across different countries, cultures, eras, and customs. Even more, they have become less connected and tied with ancestral and familial ties but rather more concerned with superficial physical characteristics. Moreover, a great deal can be discussed the relationship between ethnicity and race. Both race and ethnicity are useful and counterproductive in their ways. To begin, the concept of race is, and its ideas are vital to society because it allows those contemporary nationalist movements which include, racist actions; to become more familiar to members of society. Secondly, it has helped to shape and redefine the meaning of
Multiculturalism has become a way for nations to implement foreigners into their lives; however, Malik believes that countries are taking
Hefner, R. W. (2001). The politics of multiculturalism: Pluralism and citizenship in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.
All cultural groups assess themselves more positively than they assess outgroups. In the story, Chang judged the white people (out-group) negatively, and was glad he didn’t have to teach them as he feels that the students there would disrespect him. (Chang is a retired Chinese teacher) “They seem to tear through life quickly with a kind of wasteful abandon,” was Chang’s thoughts on the white people. He then recalls his students in Singapore (in-group) and appraised them as respectful, appreciative and decent people who grew up into proper people. This clearly shows Chang’s favouritism towards Singaporeans and prejudice towards the white
Nevertheless, it is important to remember that language is a significant component of ethnicity. However, as any other (component of ethnicity), “it can be perceived and dealt with differently in analysis and classification” (Jenkins): for many ethnic minority groups language proved to be a cornerstone of their vitality, but for such countries as Canada it is rather an optional characteristic in formulating modern ethnicity.
Looking back on the history of Singapore its hard not to sit back and rivet at all the progression and improvement that have made Singapore a more relaxing and astonishing haven and must-see destination. Starting chronologically, from the Sanskrit words “simha” (lion) and “pura” (city) Singapore or Singapura, the “lion City” shows the rich history and the beginning of a new era that Singapore went through, and describes the city-state and the city life of people whom live or visit Singapore. We then move into how the city-state flourished as a trading post for a lot of sea vessels, which include Chinese junks, Portuguese battleships, and Indian vessels. The nineteenth century was an important time for Singapore because it was when modern Singapore was founded. On January 29, 1819 Sir Thomas Raffles (the...