chap 1 - citizenship

• ways to become a citizen

  • by descent : a child has at least one parent that is a citizen of the country --> fair
  • by country of birth : a child is born within the country´s territory --> not fair
  • by marriage : individual was legally married to a citizen of the country --> fair cuz they can have baby den increase birth rate of SG
  • by naturalization : individual has resided a no. of years in country and passed other citizenship requirements laid down by the country --> fair
• rights of citizens

  • liberty of the person (should not be detained unlawfully)

  --> eg if rights is missing : in Guantanamo Bay, innocent people were detained and tortured

  • freedom of speech (have the rights to move and live freely throughout singapore)

  --> eg if rights is missing : in China, they banned social media and if they protest, they will be sent to jail so higher chance of migrating to other countries
• rights of citizens

  • right in respect to education (no citizen of Singapore will be discriminated against on the ground of religion, race, descent or place of birth when it comes to the administration of any educational institution by a public authority)

  --> eg if rights is missing : women in Taliban Afghanistan do not go to school & suffer cuz they cannot defend themselves & the live the life they want to

  • equal protection (all person are equal before law so equal protection)

  --> eg if rights is missing: black people is charged at a higher rate than white people
• responsibilities of citizens

  • national service

  > NS is a compulsory enrollment and duty that every male citizen and PR must undertake upon attaining the age of 18

  > problems occur if Singaporeans do not fulfill these responsibilities, a strong defense underpins the peace and prosperity Singaporeans enjoy by safeguarding Singapore's independence. Without NS, Singapore would be vulnerable to threats, and might not survive as a nation
• responsibilities of citizens

  • national service

  > political benefits : strong defence, deterred from attacking therefore Singapore safe

  > economic benefits : due to Singapore's good security, migrants will feel safe in Singapore and will be attracted so they will some to Singapore to invest (GDP increase)

  > social benefits : common experience = build bonds with people who come from different backgrounds = harmony
• national identity refers to citizens having shared beliefs and common practices that units them as citizens irrespective of their difference

  • some common indicators of Singapore´s identity : Singapore flag, chicken rice, merlion, orchid
• a sense of national identity comes from shared belief of connectedness to one another and belonging to the country
• how to develop a sense of identity?

  • common experience : NS
  • common practices : Singing national anthem-> helps create a bond that is uniquely Singaporeans : eg = singlish -> many express that we can identify Singaporeans when we are abroad cuz of singlish -> understand + feel unique + makes people feel closer to SG
  • common spaces : eg = hawker centres -> multicultural heritage -> space where Singaporeans can identify with & creates common memories & makes us more rooted to SG
• this sense of belonging and identity creates the desire to be involved in the affairs of the country and make it a better place to live in which is an important attribute for citizenship (participation in public affair)
• what happens if there is no sense of identity?

  > economic impact

  • no sense of identity = no sense of belonging
  • higher chance of desiring to leave country to search for more opportunities + higher chance of brain drain
  • eg= 61% of employees in SG is willing to emigrate for a job not available in the country --> dont contribute to Singapore's economy --> lower GDP
• what happen if there is sense of identity?

  > social impact

  • Mr Benny Se Teo is a former addict who set up 18 chefs F&B outlets to employ ex-convicts
  • he helps to provide job opportunities for people who otherwise would have trouble finding economic opportunities
  • Singaporeans become more understanding and society will become more caring -> people feel more at home in SG -> peaceful/happier society/ more forgiving society
• • values

  > principles and beliefs that influence a person's attitude, thinking and behaviour. They represent what is important to a person and help them to prioritize and make decisions

  • shared values

  > values that are embraced and seen as important by a group of people

  > formed when citizens share and consciously adopt certain ways of thinking and acting in society

  > can influence citizens´ thinking, attitudes and behaviours, and therefore influence collective decision-making and exercise of judgement
• values shared by Singaporeans and impact on Singaporeans' thoughts and feelings towards SG

  • family as the basic unit of society --> pride in country which upholds filial responsibilities and gratitude
  • multiculturalism --> pride in country as we overcome differences in race, language and religion to build a united community
  • care for elderly --> gratitude and love towards the country for taking care of their future and being inclusive
• multiculturism

  • shared value like multiculturalism are embraced by Singaporeans in general --> believe in living in harmony in a multiracial & multireligious society
  • social benefits => exchange of culture ->get to know others better -> better relations between cultures -> builds common bond with Singaporean's = peace / harmony

  => exchange of culture -> wealth of knowledge -> get to enjoy the awesomeness of other cultures

  • if lacked multiculturalism, there will be racism because people dont understand each other ->poor communications -> riots / unhappiness
• civic participation

  • citizens actively taking part in public affairs

  public affairs

  • issue that are of general interest or concern to most people in society
• civic participation

  • as individual

  > Mr Andy Teo initiated a project called Temporary Academic Assistance in 2020 for students during COVID-19 -> additional support for teachers

  • through informal groups

  > exists for a while to address specific needs

  > Mobile Application GoodHood.SG was started by Mr Nigel Teo & his friends to promote neighbourliness in SG -> platform to seek / offer help

  • through formal groups

  > clear objectives, officially registered with the gov.

  > eg : Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) & Social service agencies (SSAs)
• how does public participation shape feelings and thoughts towards SG?

  • contributing -> stake in country -> will want to protect SG -> more loyal to SG
  • common experiences participating -> memories and bonds -> want to protect the place that allowed these memories to be created -> more loyal to SG