1998 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
National Integration in a multi-ethnic country - A Case Study of Singapore -
| Project/Area Number |
09620073
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Politics
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| Research Institution | Kitakyushu University |
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Principal Investigator |
TAMURA Keiko Professor, Faculty of Law, Kitakyushu University, 法学部, 教授 (90197575)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1997 – 1998
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| Keywords | Singapore / national integration / ethnicity / multi-ethnic policy / identity |
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| Research Abstract |
Although Singapore, a small city-state in Southeast Asia, has a limited area of 224 square miles, her 300 million people are consisted of 77% Chinese, 14% Malays and 9% Indians. In a world where ethic conflict is increasing the cause of civil wars and social instability especially since the Cold War was over, Singapore is notable for its stable ethnic relations which have been unmarred by any incidence of tension after achieving Independence in 1965. This report is to analyze Singapore's management of ethnic relations and find out whether her case could be a model for other multi-ethnic nations.
Singapore's management of ethnic relations is called "Multi-ethnic Policy". All Singaporeans are classified 4 groups - Chinese, Malays, Indians, Others. Not only each classified ethnic name is registered on each person's ID card but also his/her second language at school is supposed to be ethnic group's mother tongue. No quota system for minorities and every ethnic group is placed all on an equal footing. Moreover, even public housing estates where 87% of Singaporeans live have ethnic integration policy.
However this "Multi-ethnic Policy" has made the Malays fall behind non-Malays especially the Chinese, because the Malays already fallen behind the Chinese who went into the commercial world under the British colonial policy. The Singapore government has only encouraged the Malays to make every effort to catch up other groups. It can be said that "Multi-ethnic Policy" prevents the Malays from acting systematically to strive for higher status.
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