Download or read book Religious Diversity in Singapore written by Lai Ah Eng and published by Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. This book was released on 2008 with total page 781 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Religious and ethno-religious issues are inherent in many multiethnic and multi-religious societies. Singapore society is no exception. It has long been multiethnic, multicultural and multi-religious, being at the crossroads of many major and minor civilizations, cultures and traditions, and its religious diversity continues to develop in the current contexts of growing religiosity, religious change and conflict often in the name of religion. Despite this background, there is lack of in-depth knowledge, nuanced understanding and regular dialogue about religions and the meanings of living in a multi-religious world. This volume covering major themes of Singapore's religious landscape, religion in schools and among the young, religion in the media, religious involvement in social services, and interfaith issues and interaction fills important gaps in the knowledge and understanding of Singapore's religious diversity and complexity. A collective effort of researchers and practitioners, it is a timely and useful reference for scholars, decision-makers, leaders and practitioners as well as for concerned citizens and followers.
Download or read book Muslims in Singapore written by Kamaludeen Mohamed Nasir and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2009-09-10 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines Muslims in Singapore, analysing their habits, practices and dispositions towards everyday life, and also their role within the broader framework of the secularist Singapore state and the cultural dominance of its Chinese elite, who are predominantly Buddhist and Christian. Singapore has a highly unusual approach to issues of religious diversity and multiculturalism, adopting a policy of deliberately ‘managing religions’ - including Islam - in an attempt to achieve orderly and harmonious relations between different racial and religious groups. This has encompassed implicit and explicit policies of containment and ‘enclavement’ of Muslims, and also the more positive policy of ‘upgrading’ Muslims through paternalist strategies of education, training and improvement, including the modernisation of madrassah education in both content and orientation. This book examines how this system has operated in practice, and evaluates its successes and failures. In particular, it explores the attitudes and reactions of Muslims themselves across all spheres of everyday life, including dining and maintaining halal-vigilance; education and dress code; and practices of courtship, sex and marriage. It also considers the impact of wider international developments, including 9/11, fear of terrorism and the associated stigmatization of Muslims; and developments within Southeast Asia such as the Jemaah Islamiah terrorist attacks and the Islamization of Malaysia and Indonesia. This study has more general implications for political strategies and public policies in multicultural societies that are deeply divided along ethno-religious lines.
Download or read book State Society and Religious Engineering written by Khun Eng Kuah-Pearce and published by Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. This book was released on 2009 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book looks at how religion in Singapore is being subjected to the processes of modernisation and change. The Singapore State has consciously brought religion under its guidance. It has exercised strong bureaucratic and legal control over the functioning of all religions in Singapore. The Chinese community and the Buddhist Sangha have responded to this by restructuring their temple institutions into large multi-functional temple complexes. There has been quite a few books written on the role of the Singapore State but, so far, none has been written on the topic - the relationship between state, society and religion. It will help to fill the missing gap in the scholarly literature on this area. This is also a topic of great significance in many Asian, particularly Southeast Asian, countries and it will serve as an important book for future reference in this area of research and comparative studies.
Download or read book Religious Diversity in Southeast Asia and the Pacific written by Gary D. Bouma and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2009-12-04 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Religious diversity is now a social fact in most countries of the world. While reports of the impact of religious diversity on Europe and North America are reasonably well-known, the ways in which Southeast Asia and Asia Pacific are religiously diverse and the ways this diversity has been managed are not. This book addresses this lack of information about one of the largest and most diverse regions of the world. It describes the religious diversity of 27 nations, as large and complex as Indonesia and as small as Tuvalu, outlining the current issues and the basic policy approaches to religious diversity. Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands are portrayed as a living laboratory of various religious blends, with a wide variance of histories and many different approaches to managing religious diversity. While interesting in their own right, a study of these nations provides a wealth of case studies of diversity management – most of them stories of success and inclusion.
Download or read book Singapore Spirituality and the Space of the State written by Joanne Punzo Waghorne and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-03-19 with total page 419 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines spirituality in Singapore, showing how important the city state is for understanding contemporary global configurations of urban space, religion, and spirituality. Joanne Punzo Waghorne highlights how the formal religious spaces-temples, churches, and mosques-have been confined to allotted sites on the map of Singapore, whereas various “spiritual” organizations, particularly of Hindu origins and headed by a guru, still continue to operate as “societies” classified by the government with other “clubs.” These unconventional religiosities are not confined but ironically make their own places, meeting in ostensive secular venues: high-rise flats, malls, businesses, and community centers, thus existing in the overall space of religion, commerce, and the state. The book argues that State of Singapore also operates between the secular and the religious, constructing an overarching spatial regime that both accommodates and yet rivals the alternate spheres that spiritual movements construct under its umbrella. Both spatial configurations challenge the presumed relationships between myth and reality, religion and commerce, the ethereal and the concrete, the sacred and the secular, on the levels of self, community, and polity. Singapore, now deemed a model for urban development in Asia, also offers an understanding of a new post-secularity and perhaps reveals where the urbanized world is headed.
Download or read book Singapore s Multiculturalism written by Chan Heng Chee and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2019-03-15 with total page 303 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since independence in 1965, Singapore has developed its own unique approach to managing the diversity of Race, Religion, Culture, Language, Nationality, and Age among its citizens. This approach is a consequence of many factors, including its very distinct ethnic makeup compared with its neighbours, its ambitions as a globally oriented city-state, and its small physical size. Each of these factors and many others have presented Singapore society with a range of challenges and opportunities, and will in all likelihood continue to do so for the foreseeable future. In the writing of this book, the author team set themselves the task of projecting the impact of current domestic and international social trends into the future, to anticipate what Singapore society might look like by around 2040. In doing so, they analyse the particular path that Singapore has taken since independence, in comparison with other multicultural societies and with regard to the balance between the necessity of forging a new national identity after British rule and departure from Malaysia, and the need to ensure that Singapore’s ethnic minority populations remain socially enfranchised. They further consider how current trends may develop over the next couple of decades, what new challenges this may present to Singapore society, and what might be the likely responses to such challenges. In this book, Singapore is a case study of a global city facing the challenges of developed-world modernity in frequently acute ways.
Download or read book The Politics of Multiculturalism written by Robert W. Hefner and published by University of Hawaii Press. This book was released on 2001-08-31 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Few challenges to the modern dream of democratic citizenship appear greater than the presence of severe ethnic, religious, and linguistic divisions in society. With their diverse religions and ethnic communities, the Southeast Asian countries of Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia have grappled with this problem since achieving independence after World War II. Each country has on occasion been torn by violence over the proper terms for accommodating pluralism. Until the Asian economic crisis of 1997, however, these nations also enjoyed one of the most sustained economic expansions the non-Western world has ever seen. This timely volume brings together fifteen leading specialists of the region to consider the impact of two generations of nation-building and market-making on pluralism and citizenship in these deeply divided Asian societies. Examining the new face of pluralism from the perspective of markets, politics, gender, and religion, the studies show that each country has developed a strikingly different response to the challenges of citizenship and diversity. The contributors, most of whom come Southeast Asia, pay particular attention to the tension between state and societal approaches to citizenship. They suggest that the achievement of an effectively participatory public sphere in these countries will depend not only on the presence of an independent "civil society," but on a synergy of state and society that nurtures a public culture capable of mediating ethnic, religious, and gender divides. The Politics of Multiculturalism will be of special interest to students of Southeast Asian history and society, anthropologists grappling with questions of citizenship and culture, political scientists studying democracy across cultures, and all readers concerned with the prospects for civility and tolerance in a multicultural world.
Download or read book Managing Diversity in Singapore written by Mathew Mathews and published by World Scientific. This book was released on 2016-05-11 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Singapore society is increasingly becoming diverse. During the first few decades of nation building, policies were designed to homogenise aspects of Singaporean society while enshrining principles to allow restricted amounts of diversity. Fast forward to the present, and fifty years after independence, the number of areas where diversity is profoundly apparent remains copious, and its manifestations more varied. This book provides an updated account on the tensions posed by diversity in Singapore and how this is being managed, primarily by the state through policies and programmes but also by communities who attempt to negotiate these tensions. Such an enquiry is crucial especially at this juncture when the nation is finding ways to embrace the different forms of diversity brought about through external impetuses, as well as manage internal reactions from the various communities. The book chapters highlight important considerations if Singapore's diversity management strategies will hold promise for the future. Contents: Introduction:Diversity in Singapore: Historical Foundations and Current Realities (Mathew Mathews)Manifestations and Management of Multicultural Singapore — Race, Language and Religion:Navigating Disconnects and Divides in Singapore's Cultural Diversity (Lai Ah Eng and Mathew Mathews)Singlish as Style: Implications for Language Policy (Lionel Wee Hock Ann)Keeping Harmony in Singapore: An Examination of the Inter-racial and Religious Confidence Circles (IRCCs) in Singapore (Mathew Mathews and Danielle Hong)The Management of New Religious Movements in Singapore (Shane Pereira)New Tensions when Global Meets Local: Social Class, Liveable Space, Bicultural Ideologies, and New Media Forms:Two Stories on Class in Singapore: Diversity or Division? (Tan Ern Ser and Tan Min Wei)Which Class and What Squeezes? Relationships with Well-being, National Pride and Inequality (Ho Kong Weng)Creating a Liveable City for Whom? A Critical Examination of Singapore's Recent Urban Transformation (Pow Choon-Piew)Are We There Yet? A Review of the Bicultural Studies Programme (Chiang Wai Fong and Low Yen Yen)Regulating the Big and Micro Screens: Managing Censorship in Films and YouTube in Singapore (Liew Kai Khiun)Diversity in the Cross Sections of Society: Workplace, Family, and the Armed Forces:Transmigrants and the Flow of Human Capital: Wither Integration? (Faizal Bin Yahya)Singapore Families: Stability and Diversity in Challenging Times (Stella R Quah)National Service: The Holy Grail in the Management of Social Diversity (Leong Chan-Hoong, Yang Wai Wai and Jerrold Hong)Conclusion (Chiang Wai Fong)About the ContributorsIndex Readership: Academics, researchers and students studying Singapore society, public policy and sociology; general readers and professionals interested in diversity management.
Download or read book Navigating Differences written by Terence Chong and published by ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. This book was released on 2020-05-29 with total page 3 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ethnic and religious differences, a widening socio-economic divide, tension between foreigners and locals. These are some of the contemporary challenges to integration in Singapore. How we navigate them will determine the type of society we become. This book gathers the best social scientists in Singapore to examine issues of ethnicity, religion, class, and culture in order to understand the many different fault lines that run across the multicultural city-state. These essays are written in an engaging manner and are designed to present the authors’ expertise to a wider audience.
Download or read book Religious Diversity and Intercultural Education written by John Keast and published by Council of Europe. This book was released on 2007-01-01 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This reference book is intended to help teachers, teacher administrators, policy makers and others deal with the important issue of religious diversity in Europe's schools. The religious dimension of intercultural education is an issue that affects all schools, whether they are religiously diverse or not, because their pupils live and will work in increasingly diverse societies. The book is the main outcome of the project 1The Challenge of intercultural education today: religious diversity and dialogue in Europe', developed by the Council of Europe between 2002 and 2005. It is in four parts: theoretical and conceptual basis for religious diversity and intercultural education; educational conditions and methodological approaches; religious diversity in schools in different settings; examples of current practice in some member states of the Council of Europe.
Download or read book Religious Diversity in Muslim majority States in Southeast Asia written by Bernhard Platzdasch and published by Flipside Digital Content Company Inc.. This book was released on 2014-11-07 with total page 449 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "e;This book fills a gap in authoritative analyses of the causes of inter-religious conflict and the practice of religious toleration. The rise of more overt expressions of Islamic piety and greater bureaucratization of Islam in both Indonesia and Malaysia over several decades have tested the "e;live and let live"e; philosophy that used to characterize religious expression in these nations. The analyses in each chapter break new ground with contextualized studies of particular and recent incidents of conflict or harassment in a variety of areas -- from urban centres to more remote and, even complex, locations. As these studies show, legislation stands or falls on the ability and determination of local authorities to enforce it.This volume is essential reading for understanding the dynamics of state-religious interaction in Muslim majority nations and the crucial role civil society organizations play in negotiating interfaith toleration."e; --Emeritus Professor Virginia Hooker FAHA, Department of Political & Social Change,College of Asia & the Pacific, The Australian National University
Download or read book Rationalizing Religion written by Chee-Kiong Tong and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2007-04-30 with total page 334 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Disputing the secularization hypothesis, this book examines the relationship between religion and modernity, detailing and explaining religious conversion, revivalism, and religious competition in Singapore.There is intellectualization of religion, a shift from unthinking acceptance to rationalized religions.
Download or read book Fulfilling the Trust written by Saat Norshahril and published by World Scientific. This book was released on 2000-02-21 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Muslims constitute about half a million or 15 percent of Singapore's multiracial and multireligious population. In 1968, the Singapore Parliament passed the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA), which led to the formation of Muis or the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (Islamic Religious Council of Singapore). The formation of Muis has brought about better administration of Muslim affairs in Singapore in meeting the religious needs of the Muslim community in areas like the issuance of fatwa (religious rulings), provision of halal food, management of haj (religious pilgrimage), collection and disbursement of zakat (charity tithe), running of madrasahs (religious schools) and having access to sound Islamic education. This was achieved with Muis having earned the trust and confidence of the community and ensuring the mutual facilitation of the community's, state's and society's needs. Fulfilling the Trust: 50 Years of Shaping Muslim Religious Life in Singapore is the first book that comprehensively studies the development of Muis' policies over the last 50 years since its founding in 1968. It offers an insight into the multi-faceted considerations and the overall context of the development of such policies, providing a wide-ranging and evaluative analyses of their evolution in the various work domains. The book argues that in order to better appreciate Muis' policies, one has to also understand the critical junctures, socio-historical context, diverse stakeholders and decision-makers' perspectives that led Muis to respond to issues and challenges in a certain way. This book is a valuable contribution to the community's cultural and experiential heritage, providing an indispensable resource for anyone or any institution wishing to pursue a constructive role for religious communities to equally contribute towards the betterment of a thriving plural society ensconced within a secular-based polity.
Download or read book Regulating Religion in Asia written by Jaclyn L. Neo and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2019-03-28 with total page 343 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Examines how law regulates religion and explores the influence of world religions on the legal systems in Asia, including how religion responds to such regulations. It looks at underlying norms influencing state regulation of religion, and the challenges emerging from such regulation.
Download or read book Public Commissions on Cultural and Religious Diversity written by Solange Lefebvre and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2021-06-30 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Analysing the work of public commissions in Britain, France, Belgium, and Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Singapore and Norway the book reflects on how they were formed, the way they framed religious and cultural diversity, the questions and controversies they examined, the key political actors involved, public and media reception, legal cha
Download or read book Populism and Religion written by Thierry-Marie Courau and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 139 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Editorial 7 Part One: World Situations Populism and Religion in Bosnia and Herzegovina 14 MILE BABIĆ Populism and Religious Nationalism in India 26 FRANCIS GONSALVES The Nationalisation of the Central Islamic Reference Point: Islam and Populism in the History of Turkey 37 DILEK SARMIS Part Two: Analyses Religious Populism: the New Avatar of Political Crisis 50 FRANÇOIS MABILLE Masculinist Populism and Toxic Christianity in the United States 61 SUSAN ABRAHAM Part Three: Challenging populism by theology The 'People' of God and its Idols in the 'One and Other' Testaments: How Sacred Scripture Challenges Populist Rhetoric 74 MARIDA NICOLACI 'Bridges not Barriers': The Potential of Christian Hope to Counter Right-Wing Populism 89 ANDREAS LOB-HÜDEPOHL Right-wing Populism and Catholicity: An Ecclesiological Reflection 101 FRANZ GMAINER-PRANZEL The Paradoxes of Populism and the Church's Contribution to Democracy: Some Hypotheses 111 CARMELO DOTOLO Part Four: Theological Forum Summer of Shame: American Catholics and the Latest Wave of the Abuse Crisis 124 CATHLEEN KAVENY Listening to the Conversation: After the Synod of Bishops Meeting on Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment 130 BRUNO CADORÉ Contributors 136
Download or read book Religious Pluralism State and Society in Asia written by Chiara Formichi and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-10-01 with total page 469 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Taking a critical approach to the concept of ‘religious pluralism’, this book examines the dynamics of religious co-existence in Asia as they are directly addressed by governments, or indirectly managed by groups and individuals. It looks at the quality of relations that emerge in encounters among people of different religious traditions or among people who hold different visions within the same tradition. Chapters focus in particular on the places of everyday religious diversity in Asian societies in order to explore how religious groups have confronted new situations of religious diversity. The book goes on to explore the conditions under which active religious pluralism emerges (or not) from material contexts of diversity.
