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World in Transition: Singapore's Future
Professor Chan Heng Chee is the Institute of Policy Studies' 7th S R Nathan Fellow for the Study of Singapore. This book is an edited collection of her three IPS-Nathan Lectures, delivered between June and July 2020, and includes highlights of her question-and-answer segments with our virtual audience.
Professor Chan analyses the uncertain and fast-changing world, and Singapore's place in it. She examines the major fault lines today, wrought by the sudden COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing malfunctioning of democracies and capitalist economies, and the unravelling of the world order. The United States-China rivalry has continued to intensify, with ripple effects on the world order, global trade and technology. Singapore will need to navigate this evolving relationship skilfully, while adapting its governance and economic models to respond to other challenges. But is it all doom and gloom for Singapore? Could our circumstances help us as we approach the new normal that lies ahead of us?
The IPS-Nathan Lecture series was launched in 2014 as part of the S R Nathan Fellowship for the Study of Singapore. It seeks to advance public understanding and discussion of issues of critical national interest for Singapore.
Students (undergraduate, secondary level), researchers of international relations, general public with interest in history of and contemporary Singapore, United States and China, diplomats, and foreign visitors interested in knowing more about Singapore's approach towards the United States and China, and the global economy.
Professor Chan analyses the uncertain and fast-changing world, and Singapore's place in it. She examines the major fault lines today, wrought by the sudden COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing malfunctioning of democracies and capitalist economies, and the unravelling of the world order. The United States-China rivalry has continued to intensify, with ripple effects on the world order, global trade and technology. Singapore will need to navigate this evolving relationship skilfully, while adapting its governance and economic models to respond to other challenges. But is it all doom and gloom for Singapore? Could our circumstances help us as we approach the new normal that lies ahead of us?
The IPS-Nathan Lecture series was launched in 2014 as part of the S R Nathan Fellowship for the Study of Singapore. It seeks to advance public understanding and discussion of issues of critical national interest for Singapore.
Students (undergraduate, secondary level), researchers of international relations, general public with interest in history of and contemporary Singapore, United States and China, diplomats, and foreign visitors interested in knowing more about Singapore's approach towards the United States and China, and the global economy.
150 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 5, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 25, 2021
While Chan Heng Chee did some pioneering work on Singapore in the 70s, she's widely seen as being co-opted into the system, serving as its ambassador to the US for more than a decade. As is the norm, this rise in real responsibilities makes an academic like her less interested in intellectual questions and (likely) more averse to saying things that might get her into trouble, or even just more sensitive to how little a lay audience can be assumed to know or be expected to follow.
The book is based on her three IPS-Nathan lectures, each of which make up a chapter:
Lecture I — Disruption. Democracy Falters. Capitalism Flounders. World Order Unravels.
Lecture II — The US-China Rivalry: Inevitable War or Avoidable War?
Lecture III — Singapore in a Time of Flux: Optimism from the Jaws of Gloom
Lecture I on problems with democracy says nothing new about problems for democracies, and it's interesting to note which texts she mentions and discusses - Gladwell, Piketty, Jared Diamond, and the "slew of books" that have seen a measure of popular success in the last few years about democracy's problems (eg: How Democracries Die, Democracy in Chains, etc) - and even these somewhat cursorily
Lecture II is easily the best, and gives an quick overview of the relationship between the US and China since Nixon's visit in the 70s.
Lecture III is the only one on Singapore, and it's just a rehash of standard issues. The most interesting bit was a table from this study which asked different ASEAN nations whether they would align with the US or China if forced to, with the US narrowly winning overall, with interesting national differences.
Overall, pretty underwhelming stuff.
The book is based on her three IPS-Nathan lectures, each of which make up a chapter:
Lecture I — Disruption. Democracy Falters. Capitalism Flounders. World Order Unravels.
Lecture II — The US-China Rivalry: Inevitable War or Avoidable War?
Lecture III — Singapore in a Time of Flux: Optimism from the Jaws of Gloom
Lecture I on problems with democracy says nothing new about problems for democracies, and it's interesting to note which texts she mentions and discusses - Gladwell, Piketty, Jared Diamond, and the "slew of books" that have seen a measure of popular success in the last few years about democracy's problems (eg: How Democracries Die, Democracy in Chains, etc) - and even these somewhat cursorily
Lecture II is easily the best, and gives an quick overview of the relationship between the US and China since Nixon's visit in the 70s.
Lecture III is the only one on Singapore, and it's just a rehash of standard issues. The most interesting bit was a table from this study which asked different ASEAN nations whether they would align with the US or China if forced to, with the US narrowly winning overall, with interesting national differences.
Overall, pretty underwhelming stuff.
May 9, 2021
Compelling and relevant reading for today's global political issues with some interesting insight on history and how it shapes modern politics.
Love lectures 1/2 but the 3rd lecture on Singapore seems to be politically correct without jarring any nerves. Had hoped for clearer writing and more honest insight on the issues that Singapore faced which was quite blatant in the first 2 lectures.
In all, an insightful read awakening the history buff in me but at times, could put me to sleep.
Note that only 1 lecture focuses on Singapore despite what the title claims.
Love lectures 1/2 but the 3rd lecture on Singapore seems to be politically correct without jarring any nerves. Had hoped for clearer writing and more honest insight on the issues that Singapore faced which was quite blatant in the first 2 lectures.
In all, an insightful read awakening the history buff in me but at times, could put me to sleep.
Note that only 1 lecture focuses on Singapore despite what the title claims.
October 30, 2022
3.5 stars.
I didnt like the relative flatness of the prose at first, but i did learn quite a lot from these lectures: they take a set of apparent givens and show me things i had not noticed, which i suppose is what good analysis is.
I didnt like the relative flatness of the prose at first, but i did learn quite a lot from these lectures: they take a set of apparent givens and show me things i had not noticed, which i suppose is what good analysis is.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews