Singapore: A Modern History

Singapore's national history is a battleground between rival visions of the country. Unlike the case with larger, older countries, the practical parameters of this battleground are highly restrictive, but the very smallness, closeness and newness of the field makes it a highly volatile one. Members of the current national elite consider (and want) the national narrative to be more or less settled as it now stands because it concludes with the presumption of their continued rule and the country's continued prosperity. They might have their way but I do not see my role as helping this along. If I have a mission, it is to pull the national narrative apart and see how it can be put together differently. With this goal in mind, I have written a revisionist national history that devotes a great deal of attention to an interrogation of the narratives and myths that comprise the national history - and the very role of national history in national identity and national politics. I even question whether the 'national' perspective is the most appropriate way to study Singapore's history and include a chapter that interrogates the presumptive 'idea' of Singapore.