State of Unease: Singapore’s Ambivalence towards Religion

The Singapore state’s changing policies towards religion have been based on the one hand on a series of perceived exigencies, and on the other on a sustained conviction that religion has an inherent capacity for social disruption. Two strains of religious extremism-associated with Islamic and Christ...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Hill, Michael (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Journals Online & Print:
Drawer...
Fernleihe:Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste
Published: Equinox Publ. 2011
In: Journal for the academic study of religion
Year: 2011, Volume: 24, Issue: 1, Pages: 10-36
Further subjects:B Singapore
B Religion
B 'Asian values'
B Politics
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:The Singapore state’s changing policies towards religion have been based on the one hand on a series of perceived exigencies, and on the other on a sustained conviction that religion has an inherent capacity for social disruption. Two strains of religious extremism-associated with Islamic and Christian fundamentalism-have provided a continuing focus of state attention. Iconic events enmeshed in religion are constantly rehearsed as evidence for the need to exercise vigilant surveillance over the religious sphere. This article examines the construction of the problem, especially in the official media, and the range of intervention strategies adopted. Some of these strategies, it will be shown, have relevance for current debates about religious extremism in western societies.
ISSN:2047-7058
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal for the academic study of religion
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1558/arsr.v24i1.10