These volumes comprise of essays by Singapore thought-leaders republished from various issues of the annual journal of the National University of Singapore Society called Commentary.

Thought-leaders contributing to this volume include Alvin Tan, Kwa Chong Guan, Yang Razali Kassim, Kishore Mahbubani, Gerard Ee, and more!This volume comprises essays republished from various issues of the annual journal of the National University of Singapore Society called Commentary.The third in a series that provides bite-sized reviews of the history of Singapore's development in a range of areas of public policy, it delves into the most challenging of them all — defining the Singapore nation, a quest that began just under six decades ago.This is an enterprise that the pioneer generation of political leaders recognised would provide collective purpose and the soul to what government and people do to establish the young country — an area that cannot rely on engineered solutions or diktat.The authors have proffered in these essays, their assessments of these attempts at crafting this identity but also the ground's responses be they through the development of the arts, the government's political narratives, economic strategy, visions of urban development, and civic activism. Included are discussions on Singapore's model of multiracialism, its vision of being a global city, the impact of public policy in the redevelopment of housing estates, and an appeal to adopt a model of empowerment in addressing the needs of the poor — incorporating what citizens are saying about who we are and wish to be as a people.There is no single definition of what the Singapore nation is; nor should we wish for easy answers as they have to be created and grasped on the ground. There is no final destination. The authors make us all too aware that it will be an enduring journey into 'being' which is enriched by the freedom to explore ideas, ideals, values, the self and the metaphysical condition of being a community of unity, that is paradoxically, necessarily comfortable with plurality, hybridity, and change. Owning this common journey is probably what distinguishes Singaporeans as a people and the volume reminds readers of that.

Thought-leaders contributing to this volume include Alvin Tan, Kwa Chong Guan, Yang Razali Kassim, Kishore Mahbubani, Gerard Ee, and more!This volume comprises essays republished from various issues of the annual journal of the National University of Singapore Society called Commentary.The third in a series that provides bite-sized reviews of the history of Singapore's development in a range of areas of public policy, it delves into the most challenging of them all -- defining the Singapore nation, a quest that began just under six decades ago.This is an enterprise that the pioneer generation of political leaders recognised would provide collective purpose and the soul to what government and people do to establish the young country -- an area that cannot rely on engineered solutions or diktat. The authors have proffered in these essays, their assessments of these attempts at crafting this identity but also the ground's responses be they through the development of the arts, the government's political narratives, economic strategy, visions of urban development, and civic activism. Included are discussions on Singapore's model of multiracialism, its vision of being a global city, the impact of public policy in the redevelopment of housing estates, and an appeal to adopt a model of empowerment in addressing the needs of the poor -- incorporating what citizens are saying about who we are and wish to be as a people.There is no single definition of what the Singapore nation is; nor should we wish for easy answers as they have to be created and grasped on the ground. There is no final destination. The authors make us all too aware that it will be an enduring journey into 'being' which is enriched by the freedom to explore ideas, ideals, values, the self and the metaphysical condition of being a community of unity, that is paradoxically, necessarily comfortable with plurality, hybridity, and change. Owning this common journey is probably what distinguishes Singaporeans as a people and the volume reminds readers of that.

Thought-leaders contributing to this volume include Tommy Koh, Tan Tai Yong, Kishore Mahbubani, Bilahari Kausikan, Han Fook Kwang, and more!This volume comprises essays by Singapore thought-leaders republished from various issues of Commentary, the annual journal of the National University of Singapore Society.In the first section, chapters have been curated to provide historical context and analyses of Singapore's foreign policy. The second section presents views on the orientation, values and interests the new, fourth generation of national leaders might have to adopt as they address the emerging challenges in this policy domain so critical to the city-state's survival.These highly accessible essays provide the general reader valuable grounding and frameworks for thinking about Singapore's approach in navigating the geopolitical shifts in its Asian neighbourhood.

This volume comprises essays by Singapore thought-leaders republished from various issues of Commentary, the annual journal of the National University of Singapore Society.In the first section, chapters have been curated to provide historical context and analyses of Singapore's foreign policy. The second section presents views on the orientation, values and interests the new, fourth generation of national leaders might have to adopt as they address the emerging challenges in this policy domain so critical to the city-state's survival.These highly accessible essays provide the general reader valuable grounding and frameworks for thinking about Singapore's approach in navigating through the geopolitical shifts in its Asian neighbourhood.

Thought-leaders contributing to this volume include Piyush Gupta, Laurence Liew, Lee Tzu Yang, Geh Min, and more!This volume comprises essays by Singapore thought-leaders republished from various issues of the annual journal of the National University of Singapore Society called Commentary.The chapters have been curated to provide historical review of Singapore's journey in economic, ecological and social development. Centred around the theme of sustainability, together, they provide a rich account of how the issues of environmental management and human resource development were pursued in tandem with strategic industrial policy from the early days of independence.They also convey how the current plans to take the country into the age of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 of digitisation and artificial intelligence, to continue to be the hub of hubs in the new economy, cannot and must not be at the expense of ecological health and a strong sense of stakeholdership among Singaporeans. The issues about immigration in the face of demographic decline, the choices in the sources of energy to power the economy in a carbon-constrained world, and the competition that a small state must continue to respond to as new growth sectors reshape the global economy are tackled by the eminent thought-leaders who contributed the chapters.While this is not new material, the reader will be surprised by how the debates about the policy choices and the expressions regarding what is important for Singapore and Singaporeans to achieve true and enduring national wealth remain fresh in this highly accessible edited book.