Critically Analyzing Multiracialism, Race & Ethnicity in Singapore

This essay critically analyzes multiracialism in Singapore, examining the concepts of race and ethnicity and how they are handled in the nation. It explores Singapore's specific brand of multiracialism, its history as a plural society, and how its approach contrasts with other models. The essay further discusses multiracialism as a state-driven nation-building effort and the evolving stratification and relations between race, class, culture, and identities. It references the article "Singapore’s approach to diversity has created a distinctive identity across ethnic groups: PM Lee Hsien Loong" and academic sources to support its analysis of the construction of ethnic identities and the management of diversity in Singaporean society, highlighting the role of policies and cultural preservation efforts in shaping the nation's multiracial landscape.

Running head: SOCIOLOGY
SOCIOLOGY
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Introduction to the concepts “race” and “ethnicity”
“Ethnicity” refers to the distinction in the cultural practices and perspectives of the
people depending on their heritage. The groups of people following the same religious cultural
and the language help in the identification of the various aspects to which the people belongs. On
the other hand, the “Race” refers to the identification of the varied biological distinctions in the
people and thereby classifying them into groups based on their respective activities. According to
Hill and Lian (2013), Race and ethnicity refers to groups of people, which are differentiated on
the basis of biological and cultural standpoints respectively. It helps in the identification of the
customs and the religion that the people follow and the customs that forms the heritage of their
culture. The purpose of undertaking the discussion depends on the understanding of the factors
of ethnicity and racism and the manner in which it affects the society of Singapore being a
multiracial nation. The discussion helps in identifying the different attributes through which the
race and ethnicity can be judged and the manner in which it influences the culture of the nation
as a whole.
The manner in which Racism and ethnicity is handled in Singapore
The prime minister of Singapore Mr. Lee desires to encourage the gracious behavior and
thereby foster positive social norms to be induced in the values of the society to justify the
diversity in the society of the nation. The higher authorities of the nation has taken steps to
understand varied needs of the people based on the culture and aims at undertaking a non-
coerced policy for the nation which has helped in fostering improvements in the social life. On
the other hand, the establishment of the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations
(SCCC) has helped the nation in managing the diversity. It has also helped the nation to
undertake a strong hold on the cultural systems and thereby promote the same to enhance the

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growth of the ‘Chineseness’ in the nation. The evolution of the SCCC works as a bridge,
according to the prime minister, that inks the pasts and the future of the nation in strong bonds.
The identification of the different cultures that flourished in the nation and thereby planning a
supportive framework for the culture helps in sustaining the diversity in the multiracial nation
(Straitstimes.com., 2018). Singapore’s government has facilitated the growth of the culture and
the perpetual nurturing of the same through the establishment of association that encourages
people to stick on to the culture. The formation of the SCCC has also helped the nation in
intermingling with the different culture since its colonization, which has helped the nation in
enriching the cultural heritage of the nation. Currently, the government of the nation under the
authority of Mr. Lee has evolved a culture of promoting equality among the people from the
various cultures. It has helped the nation in imbibing new cultures in the society and the lifestyle
of the people. The traditional culture of the nation and the modernization in the mindset of the
people has brought about changes in the systems of the nations.
Singapore’s specific brand and management of “multiracialism”
The multiracialism of the nation has helped the same in evolving the new trends that
supports the different cultures that are prevalent in Singapore. The transformation of the lifestyle
of the people living in the nation has highly influenced their change of loyalty towards different
political parties, which favored them with the growth in the nation. The Chinese people are
adaptable to the changes, which has helped them in sustaining in the regions. The multiracialism
of the nation has helped in identifying the modifications in the society.
Singapore’s history as a plural society

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The history of Singapore refers to the pre-colonial era before 1819, when the British
infiltrated the nation. Since its inception, the island was named Temasek, which was recorded in
Chinese sources as Dan Ma Xi. The changes that were encountered by the nation was devised on
the cultural diversity and the infiltration of the different cultures that influenced the existing
cultures of the people living in the nation. The political changes in the nation have helped in
creating an adaptable climate for the people living in the nation. The different aspects of the
transition in the politics of the nation have helped in the evolution of the cultures of the nation.
On the other hand, the adaptable nature of the Chinese people has helped in sustaining their
cultures in the Singaporean grounds. The plural society of Singapore is facilitated through the
liberalism and the shifts in the political systems of the nation. It has helped the people in
adapting themselves to the different situations, thereby making the culture more valid and rich.
Multiracialism of handling plural societies
Singapore, because of its colonial origins even before it became a multicultural society
helped in creating the multicultural attribute of the nation. The various aspects of the change in
the structure and the political situation of the nation has facilitated in identifying the different
promises of the plural society. The manner in which the other plural societies are handled is
different from the manner in which Singaporean government handles the same. It aims at
promoting the means of creating awareness of the culture and the heritage among the people and
thereby promotes the Singaporean Chinese culture, which might be different from the cultures
adapted by the Malaysian and the Indian changes culture. It has helped the nation in integrating
the people living in the multiracial nations. The adaptation of the CMIO multiculturalism
activities has helped the nation in undertaking steps to develop the various characteristic of the
changes through the migration and the other activities of the people residing in the nation. Mr.

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Lee stated that the nation is focused on creating an integration among the people and not simply
assimilating the diversity (Rocha, 2012). It will be helping the nation in imbibing the cultural
trends and thereby evolve eventually over time.
Multiracialism as the state’s “top down” nation-building
The determination of the needs of the people living in the society helps the nation in
identifying the key aspects of the diversity management that the authorities of the nation are
required to undertake to facilitate the needs of the people. The adaptability of the people living in
the nation has helped in evolution of the different cultures and variation in the trends of Chinese,
Malay, Indian, and Eurasian cultures. The exposition to the different cultures has helped the
Singaporean governments to manage the diversity in the nation. The multiracialism has helped
the nation in building as per the inputs of the same (Lian, 2016). On the other hand, the chief
determinants of the change in the culture are based on the determination of the incubation of the
Chinese culture in the nation through the utilization of the Chinese language. Chinese language
is used as a top most priority to determine the needs of the country to adhere to the ancient
culture of the nation. The nation is more focused on evolving the culture of the same holding on
to the traditional inputs (Hassan, 1976).
Evolving stratification and relations between “race”, class, culture, identities
The nation’s initiative to undertake a build on the culture through the formation of the
SCCC helped in identifying the needs of the nation to bring in changes in the structure of the
nation as per the needs of the people belonging to the different races and cultures. The assertive
functioning of the nation depends on the understanding of the cultural dilemma that is faced by
the nation while determining a single culture to rule over the nation (Beng-Huat & Kuo, 2014).

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The key aspects of the change that is undertaken by the nation is based on the understanding the
needs of the people residing in the nation. On the other hand, the decision that is undertaken by
the authorities of the nation helps in identifying the shifts in the culture, which has affected the
livelihood of the people. The unification of the racial and the ethnic backgrounds of the people
are supported by the policies that are formed by the government of the nation. The policies have
helped in identifying the needs of the different communities and the manner in which the racial
and ethnic groups can be integrated (Fee, 1999). The unified approach of the government has
helped the nation to make its progress in the diversity management and thereby the careful study
of the different groups that are prevalent in the Singaporean society has helped the government
in adhering to the needs of the people. On the other hand, Beng-Huat and Kuo (2014) stated that
the cultures and the heritage of the communities are not exposed to oppression, which has helped
in the growth of the multiracial groups in the nation. Thereby the policies of the nation have
helped the same in enriching the cultural heritage of the people and sticking on to the same.

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References
Beng-Huat, C., & Kuo, E. (2014). The making of a new nation: cultural construction and
national identity in Singapore. From Beijing to Port Moresby: The Politics of National
Identity in Cultural Policies, 35.
Fee, L. K. (1999). The nation-state and the sociology of Singapore. Reading Culture: Textual
Practices in Singapore, 37-54.
Hassan, R. (Ed.). (1976). Singapore: society in transition (p. 246). Kuala Lumpur: Oxford
University Press.
Hill, M., & Lian, K. F. (2013). The politics of nation building and citizenship in Singapore (Vol.
10). Routledge.
Lian, K. F. (2016). Multiculturalism in Singapore: Concept and Practice. In Multiculturalism,
Migration, and the Politics of Identity in Singapore (pp. 11-29). Springer, Singapore.
Rocha, Z. L. (2012). Multiplicity within singularity: racial categorization and recognizing
“mixed race” in Singapore. Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs, 30(3), 95-131.
Straitstimes.com. (2018). Singapore's approach to diversity has created a distinctive identity
across ethnic groups: PM Lee Hsien Loong. The Straits Times. Retrieved 19 April 2018,
from http://www.straitstimes.com/politics/singapolitics/pm-whether-chinese-malay-or-
indian-a-singaporean-can-spot-a-fellow-citizen