Social studies and citizenship for participation in Singapore: how one state seeks to influence its citizens

摘要

Singapore is an example of a country where there is centralised control of the school curriculum and where political leaders wield direct influence over citizenship education. Co-ordinated and sustained effort is made to transmit the salient knowledge and values, develop the ‘right’ instincts and attitudes, to help students become believers in the particular ‘truths’ deemed necessary for the survival of Singapore. This article examines how a citizenship-related curriculum, social studies, develops students for their role as citizens by addressing the nature of the curriculum, the conception of citizenship promoted and the nature of thinking. Does the state have the right to impose its values on students, and to teach them to think in a particular way, or to believe certain ‘truths’? Are students respected as citizens or are they treated as subjects by the curriculum? The study found that social studies promotes a citizenship that is fraught with assumptions and contradictions, particularly by framing the notion of the common good in terms of national interests. This constrains the exercise of citizenship, trivialises participation and de-contextualises thinking. As a result, the students are more often treated like subjects than citizens.View full textDownload full textKeywordsSingapore, citizenship education, social studies, common good, participation, centralised curriculumRelated var addthis_config = { ui_cobrand: "Taylor & Francis Online", services_compact: "citeulike,netvibes,twitter,technorati,delicious,linkedin,facebook,stumbleupon,digg,google,more", pubid: "ra-4dff56cd6bb1830b" }; Add to shortlist Link Permalink http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2011.635103