National Service in Singapore

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 ContributorsIntroductionThe 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 SingaporeComprehensive analysis of National Service in Singapore from multiple perspectivesEnriching discussion from contributors with different backgrounds