Jul–Sep 2014

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Director's Note

So, What is a Singaporean?
Kishore Mahbubani contemplates the Singaporean identity, its basis and its fragility.(PDF)

Of Belacan and Curry Puffs: A Taste of Singapore’s Past
Bonny Tan pores through the rich archives of Malayan newspapers and shows how disparate communities have come together to create a food culture that is truly emblematic of Singapore's multicultural character.(PDF)

Parades, Flags and Rallies: Celebrating Singapore’s National Day
National Day parades have been a ubiquitous part of Singapore’s National Day celebrations since Independence. Lim Tin Seng delves into its history, its significance and its evolution.(PDF)

Home and Away: Literary Reflections on Nation and Identity
Michelle Heng meanders through Singapore’s post-Independence literary landscape and discovers diasporic works that display a quiet strength even as they explore refreshingly dissonant views on nation and one’s identity.(PDF)

Chinese Clan Associations in Singapore: Then and Now
Chinese clan associations in Singapore date back to the time of Stamford Raffles. Lee Meiyu shows us how the functions of clan associations have changed over the years according to the needs of the local Chinese community as well as changes in state policy.(PDF)

A Quiet Revolution: Women and Work in Industrialising Singapore
The role of women in Singapore’s nation-building efforts in the post-Independence years is sometimes overlooked. Janice Loo examines the impact that women have had on the nation’s development.(PDF)

Standing Firm: Stories of Ubin
Apart from being an escape from the hubbub of city life, Pulau Ubin is home to a small but dwindling number of Singaporeans. Ang Seow Leng sheds some light on life on the island.(PDF)

Remembering John Turnbull Thomson
Timothy Pwee introduces the life, times and works of John Turnbull Thomson, engineer, painter, Government Surveyor and Superintendent of Public Works of Singapore.(PDF)

邱菽园与晚清政府四位福建籍高官的交往
Professor Zhang Renfeng pieces together the lives of the Fujian people and the helping hand offered by the Overseas Chinese to their homeland through letters between poet Khoo Seok Wan and Chinese officials from Fujian, China.(PDF)

Dr Carl Schoonover on Being S.U.R.E
In this exclusive interview, Dr Carl Schoonover shares how the brain processes information and the importance of Information Literacy and the S.U.R.E. ways in the corroboration of information and data.(PDF)