People In Singapore Research Articles

The Kickstart Drama project: performing ‘small’ acts of solidarity in Singapore

ABSTRACT This paper focuses on a group of young people in Singapore connected by the love for their communities and their desire to use drama for social change. In particular, we investigate how a participatory arts-based approach can enable young people to reflect on the importance of solidarity. We draw on Freire’s pedagogy of solidarity, arguing for the importance of ‘small’ acts of solidarity that foreground the experiences of systematically excluded communities, such as young people living in social housing. Understanding this experience of solidarity and activism is particularly important in a country like Singapore, where civic and political participation is highly circumscribed.

Flourishing or Frightening? Feelings about Natural and Built Green Spaces in Singapore.

The current study's aim was to better understand people's feelings towards different types of natural and built green space environments in the highly urbanized "garden city" of Singapore. We examined which types of green spaces elicited positive (eudemonic) or negative (apprehensive) affective responses. A total of 288 adult residents of Singapore completed a survey that asked them to report their affective states in response to images of 10 locally different environment types and to complete measures of childhood location, frequency of visiting natural/built environments, nature connectedness, and dispositional anxiety, as well as demographic items on age and gender. The 10 green space environment types were mapped onto an experiential state space representing feelings of apprehension and eudemonia in response to specific types of urban green spaces. In terms of a biophilic response, feelings of eudemonia were no different in natural green spaces compared to built green spaces. A higher frequency of experience in specific environments is associated with enhanced feelings of eudemonia in these environments. The findings indicate that people in Singapore can be apprehensive as much in natural green spaces as in built green spaces, and they can also find eudemonic experiences in built green spaces such as roof-top gardens or town parks.

Towards a Critical Pedagogy for Inclusion: Disability-led Arts and its Radical Promise in Singapore

ABSTRACT The inclusion of disabled people in Singapore (and globally) is gaining traction given the dominance of transnational instruments like the United Nations Convention on the Rights for Persons with Disabilities. Yet, in the absence of disability rights legislation, inclusion in Singapore has taken on markedly different forms, based on ablenationalist notions of productivity and meritocracy. Situated amidst these global and national frameworks of social inclusion, we consider the recent emergence of disability-led arts in Singapore. These disabled-led initiatives have proliferated in the past five years and have afforded new opportunities to challenge existing meanings of inclusion and to impart new forms of knowledge about the disabled body. In this article, we analyse recent disabled-led art productions put up by Access Path Productions, a disability-led arts creative organisation. In pivoting to the disabled body/mind as a generative form of knowledge and embodiment, these disabled-led performances offer new artistic practices spanning both digital and physical forms. Importantly, these initiatives have engaged with existing art and cultural spaces and institutions in Singapore, transforming existing ways of doing, thinking, and knowing about disability and offering a critical praxis aimed at (re)educating the public on the meanings of disability.

The Impact of Counseling on the Dignity of Older People: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study.

Psychological counseling is perceived as a treatment that could significantly improve older individuals' psychological and behavioral functioning. There is a dearth of information on the impact of psychological counseling on preserving dignity and facilitating good aging among older people in Singapore. The objectives of this study are as follows: (1) to assess advance care planning among older people and their perception of life and health, end of life, and end-of-life care; (2) to explore older people's accessibility and receptiveness toward counseling; (3) elucidate older people's perspectives on counseling and its impact on emotional management and decision-making; (4) to assess older people's competencies in emotional management; and (5) to propose an intervention model for enhancing older people's well-being and dignity through psychological counseling in Singapore. A mixed method study design involving quantitative and qualitative methods will be used. Older individuals receiving some form of preventive, primary, or long-term care in the community through voluntary welfare organizations from the senior activity centers located in eastern Singapore participated in the qualitative phase. Six older individuals from each senior activity center have been enrolled for the interview phase to explore 6 components: the Advanced Care Planning (ACP) booklet, Trait Meta Mood Scale (TMMS), accessibility and receptiveness toward counseling, and emotional management and decision-making. The ACP, an instrument designed to assess advanced care planning among older individuals, and the TMMS, an instrument developed to measure meta-mood experience and emotional management, were used in the quantitative phase among 100 participants. The data will be analyzed thematically using NVivo version 12, whereas descriptive statistics and a 2-tailed, 1-sample t test will be conducted in SPSS (version 25; IBM Corp) for empirical data analyses. The qualitative phase, which involves a semistructured interview, has been completed among 20 older individuals aged 66-86 years. Thematic analysis of the data is still ongoing. Meanwhile, the quantitative phase commenced on March 22, 2022, with 100 participants providing signed informed consent to participate in the study. The study is expected to be completed by March 2023. The mixed methods study will document the current awareness of ACP, accessibility and receptiveness toward counseling, and the potential use of psychological counseling in enhancing well-being and dignity among older people in Singapore. The research findings will benefit policy makers in their decision-making when attempting to mitigate the potential barriers to seeking counseling assistance among older people. DERR1-10.2196/45557.

LUXURIOUS LIFE STYLE IN KEVIN KWAN'S NOVEL CRAZY RICH ASIANS

This study discussed the luxurious life style in Kevin Kwan's novel Crazy Rich Asians. The analysis focused on the lifestyle and characteristics of Asian rich people in Singapore. Twelve pieces of data are found, and the quotations are taken from the Crazy Rich Asians novel. It would be good evidence to expose the luxurious lifestyle represented by the Asian rich in Singapore. In collecting data, the theory from Raharjo and Silalahi was used, and some understanding and explanations from another expert. To analyse the data, the qualitative research method was applied. Therefore, this research method is considered very suitable for studying social phenomena such as the luxurious lifestyle depicted in the novel. There are four characteristics of a luxurious lifestyle depicted in Asian rich people. They are luxurious goods, luxurious activities, convenience, privacy, and exclusivity. Luxury goods as a feature of a luxurious lifestyle can be seen in the penchant of Asian rich people to buy luxury goods and jewellery, and to own luxury properties. Luxurious activity can be seen from the several activities. Convenience as the characteristic of luxurious activity can be seen from the use of luxurious facilities. The exclusive party at young’s family house, and the exclusivity of Nick’s house are presented to show privacy and exclusivity.

Curriculum reform and trainees' perception of the pharmacy educational environment: a modified DREEM study.

An undergraduate pharmacy curriculum reform was undertaken to meet the future healthcare demands of the people in Singapore. Understanding how educational reforms affect the learners' perceptions of the learning environment is important for quality assurance. The primary aim of this study was to investigate how pharmacy trainees perceive their educational environment before and after curriculum reform. The secondary aim was to evaluate the strengths and areas for improvement of the educational environment in the new curriculum. This was a retrospective cohort study of pharmacy trainees in Singapore. A modified version of the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (mDREEM) was used to assess the pharmacy educational environment. Univariate analysis was used to compare the responses of trainees from the old and new curricula. The sample comprised 523 (93.7%) responses from the old and 677 (94.6%) from the new curriculum. The global mean scores for the mDREEM survey in the old and new curriculums were 150.4 and 156.2, respectively (P < 0.001). These results indicate that there was an increase in satisfaction with the new educational environment. In the new curriculum, the perceived educational environment varied across different pharmacy settings, and trainees rated their educational environment after graduation lower than that during their undergraduate training. The findings demonstrate that curricular reforms can alter trainees' perception of their educational environment. In our subgroup analyses, trainees' perceptions of their educational environment changed as they progressed from the undergraduate to the postgraduate training phase. Further work is needed to explore the cause-and-effect relationships between curriculum design and implementation and the resulting perceived educational environment.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI+) healthcare in Singapore: perspectives of non-governmental organisations and clinical year medical students

ABSTRACT Purpose International studies document that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI+) patients face significant health disparities. Studies exploring the attitudes, knowledge, preparedness and comfort levels of healthcare students towards LGBTQI+ health have been conducted in the United States, United Kingdom and Malaysia. This study aims to investigate stigma in healthcare for LGBTQI+ patients in Singapore, and possible upstream factors within medical education. Methods This mixed-methods study adopts a convergent parallel design. The Health Stigma and Discrimination Framework was referenced to devise in-depth interviews with representatives from 13 LGBTQI-affirming non-governmental organisations, analysed through thematic analysis. 320 clinical medical students were surveyed about attitudes, knowledge, comfort, preparedness, and perceived importance of/towards LGBTQI+ health, analysed via descriptive statistics and multivariate regression. Results Prevailing stigma in Singaporean society against LGBTQI+ individuals is exacerbated in healthcare settings. Doctors were cited as unfamiliar or uncomfortable with LGBTQI+ health, possibly from lack of training. Among medical students surveyed, the median composite attitudes, comfort and preparedness index was 3.30 (Interquartile Range (IQR) = 0.50), 3.17 (IQR = 0.83), 2.50 (IQR = 1.00) respectively. Only 12.19% of students answered all 11 true-false questions about LGBTQI+ health correctly. Conclusion Medical students in Singapore have scored sub-optimally in their knowledge and preparedness towards LGBTQI+ health, while interpersonal and structural stigma in healthcare towards LGBTQI+ people in Singapore negatively affects health and wellbeing. These findings are an impetus to improve medical training in this area. High scores among medical students in attitudes, comfort and perceived importance of LGBTQI+ topics demonstrate that there is space for LGBTQI+ health in the local medical education curriculum. Curricular interventions can prioritise content knowledge, communication skills and sensitivity.

Barriers and facilitators for adopting a healthy lifestyle in a multi-ethnic population: A qualitative study.

A healthy lifestyle is defined as 'a way of living that lowers the risk of being seriously ill or dying early.' Although barriers and facilitators of healthy lifestyles have been well-studied among populations like those with chronic non-communicable diseases, adolescents, and older adults in Asia, less information is available on barriers and facilitators perceived by the general adult population. Using a qualitative methodology and leveraging the socio-ecological model, the current study aimed to understand the barriers and facilitators of a healthy lifestyle in a sample of Singapore residents. Overall, 30 semi-structured interviews were conducted in English and other local languages from August 2020 to March 2021. Transcripts were analysed using framework analysis. Five main themes pertaining to personal, interpersonal, environmental, socio-cultural, and policy-level factors were classified under the two overarching categories of barriers and facilitators of healthy lifestyles. The results of this study offer important insights into understanding the barriers and facilitators to the adoption of a healthy lifestyle among people in Singapore. Furthermore, our findings illustrate the complex interplay between individuals, social relationships, environment, and policy that can act as either a barrier or a facilitator to adopting a healthy lifestyle.

A Preliminary Study of the Social History of the Cantonese Chinese Community in Singapore

Abstract This paper aims to provide a historical study of the development of the Cantonese community in Singapore. Through an archival study of various Cantonese associations, it will focus on the connotations of what it means to be Cantonese and the lives of Cantonese people in the context of Singapore. According to a 2020 Singapore population census, the “Cantonese” are currently the third largest Chinese-dialect group, making up almost fifteen percent of the Chinese population on the island state. The term Cantonese, in Singapore, commonly refers to those originating from the vicinity of China’s Guangdong Province, mainly from the south-west region of Guangdong, along the Pearl River Delta. Outnumbered by the Hokkien and Teochew communities, the Cantonese were largely centralized in the Kreta Ayer area and were the dominant dialect group there. Yet, the definition of the term “Cantonese” involves two major issues of geographical location and language system. Being Cantonese, as per the administrative control of Guangdong Province, encompasses all of Chinese descent whose respective ancestral origins are from Guangdong. Moreover, the Cantonese are defined by the unique characteristics of the Cantonese language as well. Therefore, this paper will attempt to differentiate the multiple definitions of the term Cantonese, followed by an overall history of the Cantonese people in Singapore.

Norwegian Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Social and Communities Opportunities Profile-Mini for Persons with Concurrent Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders

Persons with concurrent mental health and substance use disorders often do not participate actively in society and remain marginalized. The promotion of social inclusion is important for the care of persons with concurrent disorders. To measure social inclusion, the Social and Communities Opportunities Profile (SCOPE) was developed, followed by its mini version for English-speaking people in Singapore. In Norway, there is no instrument available to measure social inclusion. Thus, the aim was cross-cultural adaptation of SCOPE Mini for persons with concurrent disorders. The Norwegian adaptation was performed using the systematic approach recommended by Beaton et al. After a forward–backward translation, the Norwegian SCOPE-Mini was pre-tested among 30 persons with a concurrent mental health and substance use disorder in three areas to check its psychometric properties. To evaluate comprehensibility and applicability, participants were asked five open questions. The Norwegian cross-cultural adaptation of SCOPE Mini showed acceptable psychometric properties and was considered comparable to the original version. The results of the pre-test showed no linguistic inconsistency, but some indications of the necessity of semantic adaptation regarding the cultural context and persons with concurrent disorders. The Norwegian SCOPE Mini may be a practical tool for health professionals, social workers, and researchers to measure social inclusion among a vulnerable group such as persons with a concurrent mental health and substance use disorder. However, given the relatively small sample size in our study, further research on the validity and reliability of the instrument is recommended.

Effectiveness of a Fourth Dose of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Against Omicron Variant Among Elderly People in Singapore.

Effectiveness of a Fourth Dose of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Against Omicron Variant Among Elderly People in Singapore.

Uncoupling Conceptual Understandings and Political Preferences: A Study of Democratic Attitudes among Singapore's Highly Educated Young People

Democracy is subject to constant and seemingly interminable contestation in academic and policy contexts, and yet, empirically and methodologically robust analysis of what the term means in practice for actual citizens has remained an area of relative lacuna. Admittedly, large-N surveys have attempted to address this research gap by examining attitudes to numerous components of democracy, but without the fine-grained detail required to overcome simply reproducing the focus on liberal procedural, Western precedent-based, top-down approaches to understanding such a complex and varied political system. This article proposes a methodological approach, based on the requirements of comparative political theory and research into how people view democracy. This allows us to explore political attitudes and the meaning of democracy with a bottom-up approach using the methods of repertory grid and in-depth interviews. Singapore is a particularly exciting case for comparative political science: although it has all the advantageous conditions that, according to classic modernization theory, promote the development of democracy, it is still not a democracy.&lt;br/&gt; To what extent will the conceptualization of democracy by citizens in a country like Singapore resemble theoretical definitions, and how suitable do they consider democracy to be for Singapore? What are their expectations for a good government or regime? This article examines what highly educated Singaporeans, ranging in age from their twenties to their forties, think about democracy. In doing so, the article also pursues the goal of comparing methods between repertory grid interviews and in-depth interviews in order to work out potential interfaces, and points of connection, between the two methods to allow for the most productive research outcomes. We find that, conceptually, these Singaporeans' perceptions of democracy appeared very similar to what is usually discussed as electoral democracy in established literature. When evaluating the performance of a government or a regime, however, liberal ideas of freedom and fairness competed with more pragmatic approaches that reflect the principles of progress and success as well as community and performance-focused orientations. As a result, our respondents did not prioritize democratic practices as much as other aspects of governance like e ciency. Our findings on the influence of state ideology on highly educated young people in Singapore strengthen the arguments of political myth as an integration and legitimization strategy in autocratic regimes and democratizing strong states or regimes with a particularly pronounced ideological hegemony.

Young People’s Perspectives on the Value and Meaning of Art during the Pandemic

This contribution draws on the voices and reflections from young people as co-researchers in the Growing-Up Under Covid-19 project – a longitudinal ethnographic action research project to document, share, and respond to impacts of the pandemic on different spheres of young people’s lives. The research was conducted entirely online over 18 months in seven countries and has involved youth-led approaches to research, including video diaries and the use of artefacts and visual material to convey their experiences and support reflection and dialogue across research groups and with external stakeholders. In this contribution, the young co-researchers reflect on their rationale for using different visual media and why this was important for them. They also reflect on the significance of the representations in the visual images and how these images communicate how young people’s understanding of COVID and its impact on young people has changed (or given new meaning to) and how this in turn has given rise to particular responses and opportunities for young people. The article draws on examples of different visual forms selected by young people in Singapore, Italy, Lebanon, and the UK nations, including video, drawing, photography, and crafts. These different media and links to videos were included in the accompanying document. The contribution explores the different narratives and meanings behind the visuals, using the words of young people themselves, interspersed with narration from the adult researchers.

Separate Lives, Uncertain Futures: Does Covid-19 Align or Differentiate the Lives of Low- and Higher-Wage Young Workers?

With labour markets already polarised in industrialised economies, if Covid-19 worsens this polarity, young people could be more severely affected. This is because their entry into a post-pandemic economy has ramifications for their divergent or convergent career trajectories far into the future. Therefore, on the premise that work life is central to quality of life, this article assesses the effects of low wage and Covid-19 on the psychological outlook of young people in Singapore. We found that Covid-19 did worsen polarisation. On average, higher wage workers telecommuted more and had more work, but low wage young workers bore the brunt of earnings loss and job disruption. Low wage respondents also experienced poorer psychological well-being, even after adverse child experiences, highest educational qualification and occupation type were controlled for. However, higher wage workers might be more psychologically affected by the Covid-19 impacts. This might be because low earning workers are more accustomed to employment instability. These findings suggest the urgency of policy attention to help low wage young workers recover from Covid-19.

A History of the People's Action Party: 1985–2021 by Shashi Jayakumar

Reviewed by: A History of the People's Action Party: 1985–2021 by Shashi Jayakumar Michael D. Barr A History of the People's Action Party: 1985–2021. By Shashi Jayakumar. Singapore: NUS Press, 2021, 782 pp. ISBN: 978-981-325-128-1 Commissioned institutional histories are generally gentle in their interrogation of their subject matter, but they sometimes offer new and hitherto confidential data that compensate for analytical shyness. Shashi Jayakumar's commissioned history of Singapore's People's Action Party (PAP) definitely qualifies for such praise. Let us begin with the story of the selection of Goh Chok Tong to replace Lee Kuan Yew as prime minister. Page 12 tells us that the choice of Goh was settled at a meeting of 'younger ministers' on 30 December 1984, and the results were conveyed to PM Lee the next day, but two paragraphs down Jayakumar reveals that the results of the meeting had already been written up and submitted to Lee the day before the meeting, on 29 December. So, who really chose Goh as PM-in-waiting, and when? And why does Jayakumar repeat the standard (and false) mythology on pages 94 and 385 (n. 137) as if he had never written page 12? Interestingly, the entry of Lee Hsien Loong into politics in 1984 is also revealed to have been less clear cut than is usually depicted. The official narrative [End Page 130] emphasises that it was Goh Chok Tong (not Lee Kuan Yew) who approached the younger Lee to join politics, with acknowledgement that there were divisions in the Old Guard over his entry. Jayakumar's new sources reveal that Lee Kuan Yew was more involved than is usually thought, especially after opposition began surfacing in Cabinet (pp. 38–43). One of the recurring highlights of the book is revelations of how often Lee Kuan Yew has been given insufficient credit for his achievements. Jayakumar reveals that Lee was the prime mover in the introduction of multi-member Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) (p. 75), Non-Constituency MPs (NCMPs) (p. 71), the elected presidency (p. 72), Nominated MPs (NMPs) (p. 79), Town Councils (p. 87), and Speakers' Corner (p. 277), even though credit for most of these innovations is usually given to Goh. And when Catherine Lim criticised PM Goh for failing to shake himself free of Lee's dominance in 1994, it was Lee who secretly drove and in part dictated (literally, as it turns out) Goh's counter-attacks (pp. 263–67). Hence, Jayakumar has belatedly confirmed Lim's critique. This does not mean that Goh has no achievements to his name. It was Goh's idea to use HDB (Housing and Development Board) upgrades (and also the supply of kindergarten places!) as incentives for voting PAP and punishments for wards that vote for the opposition (p. 201). Goh also led the charge for reducing government control and agency in Singapore's economy, making it more market- and business-friendly (p. 172). Significantly, however, Jayakumar traces the PAP's subsequent electoral problems back to this ideological U-turn, since it left many Singaporeans wondering if the government really cared much about their welfare any more (p. 189). This popular query was validated when, in 2001, Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong dismissed concerns about the social consequences of increasing the numbers of foreign workers (to help business) with the words, 'some other part of Government' will be looking at that (p. 261). Except it seems they didn't. In a masterpiece of understatement and disconnection, Jayakumar reports two chapters later that the housing and transport crises generated by sudden population growth during the 2000s came about because 'there was a reluctance to build ahead of demand' (p. 417). The shift towards openness later spread to the media, arts, culture and the internet (pp. 260–63), but not so much to politics. One of the most remarkable features of the book is the thoroughness and candour with which the author documents the corruption of democracy by the deployment of government resources and state power on behalf of the ruling party (pp. 22–23, 68–70, 127, 177, 188, 194–95, 198, 202, 228, 347, 542–44...

(Not) democratising through strength: core beliefs and the institutions of Singapore’s People’s Action Party

ABSTRACT How and under what conditions do autocratic parties democratise through strength'? Prior scholarship suggests that authoritarian parties embrace political liberalisation when there are warnings of their decline. However, Singapore's People's Action Party (PAP) has not ‘conceded-to-thrive’ despite seemingly waning dominance. This paper explains why autocratic parties resist democratisation. Drawing from historical and sociological institutionalism, we examine how established ideas, serving as cognitive filters through which governing elites interpret their environment, become codified in formal institutions. Specifically, we argue how governments respond to political challenges depend on the ‘stickiness’ of the normative foundations of authoritarianism and their manifestations in state institutions. We uncover the ideational and historical contexts of authoritarian institutions and show how they are translated into laws, policies and practices. Using the case of PAP, we consider the microlevel origins and institutional persistence of oneparty dominance and explain how these normative foundations and its subsequent institutionalisation impede political change.

Caring gifted people in Singapore and possibility of benefiting from them in Kuwait.

This study aimed to identify the reality of gifted students’ caring in Singapore and the possibility of benefiting from them in Kuwait and to prepare some suggestions and recommendations that contribute to the support of gifted students in Kuwait in light of the Singaporean experience. The study followed the descriptive comparative approach by identifying the reality of gifted students in Kuwait and Singapore. The study developed some proposals and recommendations to assist these students in Kuwait, divided into three suggestions: to develop the state’s role in caring for gifted students, to develop the capabilities of gifted students and their families and, finally, to develop the teachers’ capabilities in educating gifted students.&#x0D; Keywords: Gifted, caring, reality.

"The Menthol One Is More Friendly": Young Singaporeans' Perspectives on Flavored Cigarettes.

Over half of the cigarettes sold in Singapore contain added flavors such as menthol. We conducted nine focus group discussions (n = 46) with young (aged 20-25) current smokers in Singapore to understand the role of flavors in smoking initiation. We found that flavors triggered the curiosity to experiment with tobacco and e-cigarette products and played an important role in the formation of early cigarette preferences. Menthol-flavored cigarettes were the most appealing to participants due to their smoothness and cooling sensation, described as pleasant against Singapore's hot and humid climate. While some participants believed that flavored and nonflavored cigarettes were equally harmful, others believed that flavored variants had a lower nicotine content and were therefore less harmful, or that the added chemicals in flavored cigarettes could result in higher toxicant exposures. Thus, among young people in Singapore, flavors appear to play an important role in smoking initiation and there appear to be various misperceptions regarding their harmfulness.

Bridging the language barrier in nutrition education using digital solution during Covid-19 pandemic: a pilot survey

Rationale: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected a total of 62,053 people in Singapore since the beginning of the outbreak up until June 20211. The vast majority were non-English speaking migrants living in overcrowded dormitories, making up of 87.9% of the total COVID-19 cases1. With limited resources and access to interpreter services, dietitians were challenged to maintain clear communication whilst providing timely nutrition therapy as an integral part of their chronic disease management.

Tobacco industry targeting of health-conscious youth with ‘lighter’ cigarettes: the case of Singapore

BackgroundDespite Singapore’s strict tobacco control policies, smoking rates have not decreased since 2004. We examined the primary targets, motivations and strategies behind targeted marketing activities in Singapore from the tobacco...