S Rajaratnam on Singapore

This book, a compilation of key speeches and articles by the late Mr S Rajaratnam, is a tribute to one of the founding fathers of Singapore. As the country's first foreign minister, he was pivotal in conceptualising and implementing its foreign policy. Present at the birth of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), he was also instrumental in ensuring a constructive role for Singapore in regional cooperation. A staunch supporter of a multicultural society, Mr Rajaratnam envisioned the country as a cosmopolitan “global city”.

The volume is divided into four thematic sections: foreign policy, ASEAN regionalism, multiculturalism, and Singapore's history — broadly encompassing Mr Rajaratnam's most important contributions to the making of modern Singapore. Also included are original research essays that reassess Mr Rajaratnam's contributions, written by senior staff of the new S Rajaratnam School of International Studies.
Contents:Foreign PolicyASEAN RegionalismMulticulturalismSingapore's History
Readership: General readers interested in Singapore, its multiculturalism, history, regional policy and foreign policy.
Keywords:Singapore;S Rajaratnam;Multiculturalism;History;Regional Policy;Foreign PolicyReview:
“This compilation of Mr Rajaratnam's speeches and writings gives the reader an insight into the foundation of Singapore's foreign policy and into the mind that wrote the Pledge our children recite in school every day.”
George Yeo
Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs

“The book paints a deep impression of Mr Rajaratnam as a thinker, ideologue and man of great vigour and passion who cared deeply for Singapore.”
S Chandra Das
Former Member of Parliament
Singapore

“Mr Rajaratnam made invaluable contributions to what I would call the Singapore school of diplomacy. He was a realist but he was not a fatalist. He did not believe that small states were powerless. This book very aptly captures his idea about how Singapore should conduct itself diplomatically.”
Professor Tommy Koh
Chairman
Institute of Policy Studies, Singapore
Key Features:As one of Singapore's most prolific writers, Rajaratnam's rhetoric engages and captivates both his peers and laymen alikeForeword written by Singapore's President S Nathan, a long time colleague and friend of Mr S RajaratnamIncludes a selection of photographs personally taken by Mr S Rajaratnam, an avid photographer, of his travels and his family