A slow ride into the past: The Chinese trishaw industry in Singapore, 1942-1983

摘要

This terrific study of the trishaw industry in post-Second World War Singapore illustrates important aspects of postcolonial Singapore historiography. On one level, it tells the story of a section of Singapore society which epitomises the Republic's own historical trajectory. On a deeper level, it illustrates the challenges of researching Singapore history, and demonstrates both how the skill of the historian can overcome the limitations which exist in the field, as well as where the limitations simply make it impossible for the historian to proceed due to a paucity of sources and information.