Michael D. Barr

Paperback, 296 pages

9781350185661

Singapore gained independence in 1965, a city-state in a world of nation-states. Yet its long and complex history reaches much farther back. Blending modernity and tradition, ideologies and ethnicities, a peculiar set of factors make Singapore what it is today. In this thematic study of the island nation, Michael D. Barr proposes a new approach to understand this development. From the pre-colonial period through to the modern day, he traces the idea, the politics and the geography of Singapore over five centuries of rich history. In doing so he rejects the official narrative of the so-called `Singapore Story’.

Contents:

Singapore’s History Wars: Reorienting the National Narrative

The Idea of Singapore

Singapore Central: The Role of Location in Singapore’s History

Government Before ‘Politics’: Circa 1390-circa 1890

Politics and Governance in Modern Singapore

Governance in Independent Singapore: From Survival to Superlatives

The Economy: Singapore, Still at the Centre

The Society: Singapore as a City