TTLA: Multicultural Policy of the Republic of Singapore in the Fields of Religion, Language and Education

Author name:Nguyen Thi Nhu

Thesis title:Multicultural policy of the Republic of Singapore in the areas of religion, language and education.

Dissertation field:

Major: Southeast Asian Studies Code: 62 31 06 10

Name of the postgraduate training unit: University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi

1. Purpose and research objects of the thesis

* Research purpose:The thesis is conducted to systematically present the process of formation and development of Singapore's multicultural policy through historical periods in terms of religion, language and education. Thereby clarifying the impact and influence of multicultural policy on Singapore's development.

* Research object: The Singapore Government's multicultural policies in terms of religion, language and education with the following key issues: initiators, main objects of the policy, implementation process, effectiveness and issues raised by the policy.

2. Research methods used

To implement the Thesis, the researcher used the following research method:

-Interdisciplinary approach: Through this approach, the overall multicultural policy of Singapore is approached and examined from various perspectives of different fields that the scope of the thesis sets out through the specific fields of religion, language and education.

- Synthesis and analysis method: Singapore's multicultural policy has gone through a relatively long and tumultuous process. Using this method, we can synthesize the policy implementation process in different aspects, from which we analyze and interpret to find the common through the particular, find the essence through the phenomenon, find the common through the particular, see the nature, characteristics and role of Singapore's multicultural policy.

- Inductive and interpretive method: Singapore's social culture is very diverse and complex, so the multicultural policy applied to policies in each specific area of ​​religion, language and education requires a deep dive into the relationship between nature and phenomenon. Applying this method helps to link individual, independent phenomena together to find the nature of the research object. Point out and explain the theoretical and practical bases governing the policies of the Singapore government in the areas covered by the thesis.

3. Main results and conclusions

3.,1 Main results

- Explain the basis for Singapore's multicultural policy in the fields of religion, language and education.

-Systematize some of Singapore's multicultural policies since independence in relation to religion, language and education.

-Analyze the content and factors influencing Singapore's multicultural policy, demonstrate the origin, solutions, implementation, effectiveness and influence of Singapore's multicultural policy since its inception.

-Through systematizing and analyzing Singapore's multicultural policies, useful lessons and suggestions can be drawn for the construction, innovation and planning of Vietnam's current cultural policies.

3.2 Conclusion

- The first, Singapore's multicultural policy was born out of Singapore's multicultural nature that predated independence and the establishment of the nation state.NIt can also be traced back to a British proposal to the Malayan Union in 1945-1946, in order to prepare for the peninsula's separation from the colony without causing consequences to British economic interests after independence. On the other hand, after many riots occurred by the people reacting to the colonial government in order to protect the rights and position of their community in society, in the Historical Education Committee convened in 1955, the parties officially recognized Singapore as a multi-ethnic society and implemented the principle of multicultural education by treating all four language streams in education equally: Malay, Chinese, English and Tamil, laying the foundation for the multicultural institution in Singapore. On that basis, after independence, the Singapore government established and institutionalized the multicultural theory as the guiding principle for the governance and management of ethnic relations in Singapore, which continues to be maintained, improved and developed to this day.

- Monday, research on Singapore's multicultural policy in terms of religion, language and education shows that Singapore has a legal framework to ensure that multicultural policies are thoroughly practiced and institutionalized through specific rights of each community. This is considered a difference that demonstrates the determination in implementing Singapore's multicultural policy compared to many countries currently practicing multicultural policies such as the US, UK, Australia, Canada, etc.

- Tuesday, with the legal framework and institutionalization of the above multicultural policies, no development in Singapore can be expected and recorded without the impact of government policies. The practice of multicultural policy has allowed the Singapore government to immediately resolve the country's internal conflicts in the early days of independence to the conflicts that arose during the process of construction and development. From the perspective of a social theory, multicultural policy has contributed significantly to Singapore's remarkable development.

- Wednesday, multicultural policy cannot solve all problems satisfactorily, so Singapore still faces certain challenges as pointed out in the assessment of chapter 4. In particular, the potential in the state's recognition of the four main ethnic groups is that these groups have full institutional perfection, which can easily lead to social fragmentation, although there is no division of each group into specific separate geographical areas as in the colonial period of Singapore. This requires the government's continuous efforts to perfect policies to suit the requirements of society, for a multicultural and cohesive Singapore.

- Thursday, the success in implementing multicultural policies in Singapore is a synchronous combination of many factors. However, it is also possible to explain this miraculous success because Singapore's multicultural policies are applied to a country with a specific area, an island nation consisting of one large island and more than 60 small islands with a total area of ​​only about 719 km². Therefore, the implementation, deployment and management of policies to each community and each resident will be required to be implemented, applied more easily and decisively. Policies will therefore quickly bring about effectiveness or reveal inadequacies, and the government can promptly learn from experience, supplement or amend policies accordingly.

- Friday, all core multicultural policies in the fields of religion, language and education were basically built and implemented by Singapore from the early years of independence. Therefore, the late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew - the first Prime Minister of Singapore, had a particularly important personal role and mark in these policies.

- Final, with the basic contents deployed as above, the thesisThe Republic of Singapore's multicultural policy in terms of religion, language and education”has some new contributions.On the academic side,The thesis is the first scientific work in Vietnam to study Singapore's multicultural policy focusing on three aspects: religion, language and education, contributing to the system of academic research documents and teaching on Southeast Asia, on cultural policy in general and on Singapore in particular.Methodologically, the thesis successfully uses the interdisciplinary approach when studying Singapore's multicultural policy in specific areas. Thereby affirming that the interdisciplinary approach is a special, necessary and effective tool in current cultural research.In practice, the thesis can give suggestions in building, innovating, and planning cultural policies of Vietnam today, especially in the fields of religion and education; strengthening the relationship and promoting mutual understanding between Vietnam - Singapore in particular and Vietnam with the Southeast Asian region in general.

SUMMARY OF DOCTORAL THESIS

The author's name:Nguyen Thi Nhu           

Thesis title:Multicultural Policy of the Republic of Singapore in the fields of religions, languages ​​and education

Scientific branch of the thesis:

Major: Southeast Asian Studies Code: 62 31 06 10

The name of postgraduate training institution: Faculty of Oriental Studies - VNU, University of Social Sciences and Humanities

1. Thesis purpose and objectives

* Purpose of the study: The thesis was conducted to scientifically present the process of forming and developing Singapore's multicultural policy through historical, religious, linguistic and educational periods. This explains the impact of multiculturalism on the development of Singapore.

Research Objectives: The religious, linguistic and educational policies of the Singapore Government are multidisciplinary with the following key issues: initiators, main policy beneficiaries, implementation process, effectiveness and policy issues.

2. Research methods

To implement the thesis, the researcher uses the following research methods:

- Interdisciplinary Approach: Through this approach, Singapore's overall multicultural policy is approached and explored from various perspectives the different fields that the thesis sets out, specifically, religions, languages ​​and education.

-Synthesis and theoretical analysis: Singapore's multicultural policy goes through a process of ups and downs and a relatively long aim. Using this method,, we can synthesize the process of implementing the policy in different aspects, from which we analyze, the explanation to pass through the private find the general, through the phenomenon of discovery through the peculiarities to find out the universality, the nature, characteristics and role of multiculturalism policy of Singapore.

-Inductive and interpretive methods: Singapore's social culture is very diverse and complex, so multicultural policies apply to the policies in specific areas of religion, language and education that require deepening the relationship between nature and phenomena. Using this method helps to link individual, independent phenomena to find out the nature of the object, to identify and explain the theoretical and practical bases that govern the policies of the Singapore government in the fields of the thesis.

3, Major results and conclusions

3.1.The major results

- Explaining the foundation of Singapore's multicultural policy in the fields of religions, languages ​​and education.

- To systemize some of Singapore's multicultural policies since the independence in relation to religions, languages ​​and education.

- Analysis of the content and factors that govern the multiculturalism of Singapore, demonstrating the origin, solution, implementation, effectiveness and influence of Singapore's multicultural policy from its inception nowadays.

- Through the system and analysis of Singapore's multicultural policies, it is possible to provide useful reference lessons and suggestions for the development, renewal and cultural policy making of Vietnam from now on.

3.2. Conclusion

Firstly, Singapore's multicultural policy was shaped by the multicultural nature of Singapore, which emerged from independence and the establishment of a national state. It could also be traced back to a British proposal to the Malaysian Alliance in the period 1945-1946, in preparation for the island's removal from the colonies without implicating Britain's economic interests and independence. On the other hand, after many of the riots of the people reacting to the colonial government in seeking to protect their rights and the position of their community in society, the Committee for Historical Education was convened in 1955, the parties officially recognized Singapore as a multi-ethnic society and implemented the principle of multicultural education by treating equality with all four language lines in education: Melayu, Chinese, English and Tamil, laying the foundation for multiculturalism in Singapore. On that basis, after independence, the Singapore government established and institutionalized multiculturalism as the guiding principle of governance and the management of ethnic relations in Singapore, and continued to improve and develop until now.

- Secondly, the study of Singapore's multicultural policy in terms of religions, languages ​​and education shows that Singapore has a legal framework to ensure that multiculturalism is thoroughly practiced and institutionalized. These policies go through the specific rights of specific communities. This is considered a difference in the implementation of multiculturalism in Singapore compared to many countries currently practicing multicultural policies such as USA, UK, Australia and Canada.

-Third, with the legal framework and institutionalization of the above-mentioned multicultural policies, none of the developments in Singapore are planned and documented without these influences of government policies. The practice of multiculturalism has allowed the Singaporean government to immediately resolve the country's internal conflicts in the early days of independence to the contradictions that have arisen in the process of building and developing. From the perspective of a social theory, multiculturalism has made an important contribution to the rapid development of Singapore.

Fourthly, multiculturalism is not adequately able to address all issues, so Singapore is still facing certain challenges as pointed out in the evaluation of Chapter 4. In particular, the recognition of four ethnic groups by the state means that these groups have complete institutional perfection, which is easy to fragment in society, although there is no division within the population, especially, geographically specific areas as it was during the colonial Singapore period. This requires continuous efforts by the government to complete the policies in line with the requirements of society, for a multicultural and cohesive Singapore.

- Successful implementation of multiculturalism in Singapore is a coherent combination of factors. However, it can also be said that Singapore's multicultural policies have been applied to a land-specific country, a large island nation and more than 60 smaller islands with a total area of ​​only 719 km2. Therefore, the implementation and management, policies to each community, each group of the population will be forced to implemen, easier and more drastic. Thus, the policies quickly and effectively or reveal inadequacies, so that governments can draw on experience, add or modify policies accordingly.

-Sixthly, all major multicultural policies in the field of religions, languages ​​and education are all fundamentally built by Singapore from the early years of independence. As such, the late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's first prime minister, has a personal and significant role to play in these policies.

-Finally,with the basic contents of the above, the "Multicultural Policy thesis of the Republic of Singapore in terms of religion, language and education" has a number of new contributions. In terms of scholarship, the thesis is the first scientific research in Vietnam to study the multicultural policy of Singapore focusing on three aspects of religion, language and education, contributing to the financial system and academic research, teaching in Southeast Asia, cultural policy in general and Singapore in particular… In terms of methodology, the thesis successfully uses the interdisciplinary approach when studying multiculturalism in Singapore in specific areas. Through this, the interdisciplinary approach is a special, necessary and effective tool in the study of culture today. In practical terms, the thesis may provide suggestions for the development, renovation and cultural policy making of Vietnam at present, especially in the fields of religion and education which strengthens the relationship and promotes mutual understanding between Vietnam - Singapore in particular and Vietnam with Southeast Asia in general.