Multiculturalism in Singapore: Concept and Practice
Multiculturalism first appeared as a political and intellectual issue in Britain, Canada and Australia in the 1970s, when these countries accepted significant numbers of migrants of non Anglo Saxon origin. In contrast, Singapore, because of its colonial origins, was a multicultural society long before it became a modern nation state. For this reason multiculturalism is deeply entrenched in the society, not only in the private and everyday lives of Singaporeans, but also in its governance. This chapter examines how multiculturalism is conceived and practiced in the city state. In its original formulation CMIO multiculturalism was premised on the recognized founding races. In the past 25 years, the multiethnic character of Singapore has grown in complexity in the face of migration and the globalization of the economy. The challenges posed to existing policies on the management of multiculturalism are discussed.