Nationalism in most cases works at the foundation {that a} country must believe itself as a “we”, with a not unusual id, historical past and tradition. But it surely doesn’t at all times obviously say who the “we” are. As an alternative, it frequently works through pronouncing who doesn’t belong – ceaselessly through characterising those other people in racialised tactics.
Singapore is a fascinating case learn about. Since independence in 1965, the small city-state has explicitly dedicated to a coverage of multiracialism and multiculturalism. This concept is enshrined in its charter, is extensively permitted through Singaporeans and has transform a company pillar of nationwide discourse.
Given this dedication, how does nationalism create exclusion in Singapore and what other kinds may just this take? In my March 2025 guide, Directly Country, I analyse Singapore’s model of a countrywide id to turn how, whilst heading off openly racialised rhetoric and discrimination, it will possibly outline belonging in different ways.
Singaporean nationalism excludes some sections of society principally thru keeping up a suite of hetero familial norms. That is one explanation why for the guide’s identify – it calls consideration to how straightness sits on the middle of Singaporean id. A definite more or less immediately lifestyles is taken to be the fashion behaviour of a “normal” citizen.
One of the most issues one is anticipated to do come with beginning a circle of relatives – through assembly a member of the other intercourse, getting married and having kids. This very explicit model of heterosexuality is taken because the default in Singapore, and it finally ends up apart from a complete vary of other people.
Circle of relatives and the country
Heterosexuality being taken as standard and the expectancies positioned at the nuclear circle of relatives don’t seem to be uniquely Singaporean problems. However as a result of Singapore’s small dimension, the state has an outsize capability to steer each how the “normal” Singaporean should are living and the effects that practice.
Probably the most visual tactics individuals are affected is throughout the public housing machine. Nearly 80% of Singaporean citizens are living in apartments constructed through the rustic’s public housing authority, the Housing and Construction Board (HDB). Those apartments are so ubiquitous that Singapore’s former high minister, Lee Hsien Loong, referred to them as “national housing” in 2018.
The catch is that, with some small exceptions, one needs to be married to shop for a HDB flat. And since same-sex marriage isn’t recognised in Singapore, heterosexual marriage turns into a situation of get entry to to this nationwide image.
This clearly impacts LGBTQ+ other people, proscribing their skill to get entry to public housing and are living independently. However the hyperlink between heterosexual marriage and public housing impacts a complete vary of other folks. Those come with unmarried other people and fogeys, those that make a selection to not get married and people who find themselves divorced.
Housing Construction Board apartments within the district of Punggol, Singapore.
happycreator / Shutterstock
There are different examples that show how it’s taken as not unusual sense that one’s lifestyles revolves across the nuclear circle of relatives in Singapore – even supposing this may not be the case for everybody.
The hole anecdote in Directly Country presentations how the state treats the heterosexual nuclear circle of relatives as containing an important set of social members of the family. Like many different nations on the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Singaporean executive imposed a lockdown from April to June 2020. When it ended, restrictions have been lifted in phases.
To start with, just a few in-person interactions have been allowed. Singapore’s then-health minister and present deputy high minister, Gan Kim Yong, stated: “Children or grandchildren can visit their parents or grandparents”. He urged this could “allow families to spend time and provide support to one another” after 8 weeks of isolation.
Till the constraints have been additional eased 17 days later, visiting one’s oldsters or grandparents was once the one type of in-person social interplay approved. There was once no point out as to what other people with out a circle of relatives or estranged from them have been supposed to do for give a boost to. The similar applies to other people reliant on prolonged circle of relatives, equivalent to those that haven’t any haven’t any surviving oldsters or grandparents, and even those that rely on an in depth good friend.
Once more, this assumption can produce exclusions that transcend sexual distinction. To be transparent, no longer everybody can be affected in the similar means. However studying Singapore as a immediately country and figuring out how one specific more or less heterosexual expression is reified is useful.
It permits onlookers to invite how those norms can position other types of drive on other other people. And in all probability figuring out the way in which through which such a lot of individuals are suffering from this regime of straightness may also assist Singapore believe a long term this is fairer and extra habitable for everybody.
