Singapore is a ‘strong’ developmental state that exercises ideological leadership over economy and society, and offers widespread provision of public services, including education. Paradoxically, however, while such logics invite dependence on the ‘strong’ state, at the heart of Singaporean public policy is the anti-welfarist, self-responsibilising, meritocratic ethos.
Drawing on extensive fieldwork, Dr Charleen Chiong challenges the widespread stereotype of Singapore as a uniformly prosperous meritocratic society, and explains how socio-economically disadvantaged families experience and negotiate Singapore’s highly competitive education system. Join the Sydney Southeast Asia Center on 10 February to hear the often unheard perspectives of socio-economically disadvantaged families in Singapore.
To register, click here.