Communication, National Identity and Cultural Identity in Singapore: Graphic Responses to the ‘Speak Mandarin’ Campaigns

Abstract

Contemporary visual communication in Singapore is influenced by consumerism, global economics and popular culture. With a population comprising mainly Chinese, Malays and Indians, Singapore might be described as the ideal Benettonesque global village. Singaporeans are educated in English with their mother tongue a compulsory second language in primary and secondary schools. The increasing use of English for verbal and visual communication amongst the younger generation might be problematic for a government which positions Singapore competitively in an Asian region. The issue of national identity was addressed as early as 1965, when Singapore became an independent nation, at which time the government had to consider political and economic survival in a region bordered by Malaysia and Indonesia.The anticipated ascent of China as the major Asian economic power during the next decade holds implications for official Singaporean policy which, since the 1970s, has emphasized multiracial ‘Asian’ values and cultural traditions. One initiative has been to strategically realign Singaporeans for ‘Chineseness’ in the twenty-first century (e.g. the Speak Mandarin campaigns). This paper examines the socio-historical developments in Singaporean visual communication within the broader context of government strategies which has promoted a national ideology during the last 30 years.