National Service (NS) is one of Singapore's foundational public policies. First implemented by the British in 1954, amended in 1967 to provide a means to defend a fledgling independent nation, and codified into its present form in 1970, NS is a key pillar of Singapore's defence. Its significance, however, goes beyond defence. With over 1 million male Singapore citizens and permanent residents having served NS, and consequently involving many more — family members, friends, employers and colleagues — in different ways, NS is deeply woven into Singapore's political and social fabric. This volume brings together a range of scholarly perspectives on NS which explore its past, present and future in four sections: The history of NS, NS in practice, debates on NS and an international perspective. Comprising chapters by individuals from varied backgrounds, National Service in Singapore offers a broad account of one of Singapore's oldest public policies.
Contents: - About the Contributors
- Introduction
- The History of NS:
- National Service and Citizen Soldiers: The Singapore Experience of Military Conscription (Albert Lau)
- Goh Keng Swee and the Policy of Conscription (Bernard Fook Weng Loo)
- In the Service of the Nation Too: An Early History of National Service Outside the Singapore Armed Forces (Ho Shu Huang)
- NS in Practice:
- Conscripting the Audience: Singapore's Successful Securitisation of Vulnerability (Chang Jun Yan)
- Numbers Matter and Number Matters: National Service and Singapore's Quest for Military Deterrence (Samuel L W Chan)
- National Service and Nation-Building: Successes and Limitations of the Singaporean Experiences (Kai Ostwald)
- Re-imagining National Service in the Era of Hyperculturalism (Leung Chan-Hoong)
- Debates:
- Dual Citizenship and National Service in Singapore (Terri-Anne Teo and Priscilla Cabuyao)
- The Maligned Malays and National Service (Norman Vasu ad Nur Diyamah Binte Anwar)
- An International Perspective:
- Conscription in Taiwan: A Problematic Evolution (Wu Shang-Su and Ho Shu Huang)
Readership: Undergraduate and graduate students, military professionals and those who are interested in Singapore's defence policies and their impacts.
Key Features:- First academic work on National Service in Singapore
- Comprehensive analysis of National Service in Singapore from multiple perspectives
- Enriching discussion from contributors with different backgrounds
