Singapore Studies Workshop and book launch

Oct 26, 2004

A workshop entitled ‘Handing over the reigns: Civil society under Lee Hsien Loong’ was held last week (Friday October 22)at the University of Wollongong, bringing together academics and postgraduate students from across Australia with an interest in civil society in Singapore.

The workshop was organised by UOW’s Centre for Asia Pacific Social Transformation Studies (CAPSTRANS).

Prior to his recent appointment as Singapore’s third Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong signalled a number of changes to the ways in which he would govern.

Participants in the workshop examined these changes, as well as recent developments among non-government organisations and other civil society sectors. They analysed the prospects for increasing liberalisation of the political sphere under PM Lee.

Different panels addressed issues of civil society in ‘new’ Singapore, security and censorship and social issues and self-identity.Speakers included PhD students and lecturers from a variety of Australian universities, including UOW’s Director of CAPSTRANS, Dr Lenore Lyons.

Dr Lyons is currently working on a study of gender, the state and civil society in Singapore. She has been widely published on the women’s movement in Singapore, and cross-cultural feminist methodology. Her presentation discussed the intersection of citizenship and gender in Singapore.

“In November 2002, a group of Singaporean activists established a group called The Working Committee 2 (TWC2) to advocate for the rights of foreign domestic workers (FDWs) working in Singapore, “ she said.

“TWC2’s success in raising the profile of FDWs has brought about some significant improvements in the regulatory regime governing the conditions of maid employment.”

Dr Lyons’ latest book ‘A State of Ambivalence: The Feminist Movement in Singapore’ was also launched after the workshop. The book was launched by Dr Kathryn Robinson, Senior Fellow in the Department of Anthropology at the Australian National University.

-RP