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Perspectives on the Security of Singapore: The First 50 Years explores the security of Singapore in the last 50 years and its possible trajectories into the future. This volume brings together the diverse perspectives of a team of academics with different expertise, ranging from history to political science to security studies with a common interest in Singapore. The book is further boosted by the recollections of key civil servants involved with foreign affairs and defence, such as S R Nathan, Peter Ho, Bilahari Kausikan and Philip Yeo.
A crucial founding father of independent Singapore, Dr Goh Keng Swee has his distinguished and unparalleled stint in public service hitherto reduced to dates and designations. The book is the first to collect and present a broad range of historical material commemorating Dr Goh's public career. This book is not a biography of Dr Goh's life. Instead, it commemorates his public career and attempts to portray a more personal and candid perspective of the principal architect of independent Singapore. This is done by pulling together a variety of historical sources, ranging from Dr Goh's public statements and speeches, and existing and fresh oral interviews with his former colleagues to archival documents and imagery. This book is an important contribution not only to Singapore's history in general, providing valuable historical context to the challenges of ensuring the sustainability and survival of a young nation at the highest levels of policy-making, but also a tribute to Dr Goh — how he is remembered, respected and revered by some of his closest peers and colleagues.
Singapore, a small country with limited resources, has nevertheless played a significant role in regional and global trade negotiations. Its negotiators possess a wealth of knowledge and experiences and yet few have told their story. This book is a collection of sixteen essays by authors who have been closely involved in trade negotiations including GATT/WTO and bilateral free trade agreements. They share their experiences in such negotiations, how they promoted national interests and advanced the global trade agenda. It will appeal to readers who are interested in how international economic diplomacy is conducted, and Singapore's role and perspective as an open trading nation.
Vietnam's invasion and occupation of Cambodia on 25 December 1978 shattered the peace in Southeast Asia. The geo-political fabric of the region could have changed forever if nothing was done to oppose the invasion. Leading the charge was tiny Singapore, with her diplomats spearheading the thrust. Singapore could not do it alone, but had to have the support of like-minded nations from the region and beyond. Many sceptics, both within and outside Singapore, were convinced that Singapore's efforts would fail, as a tiny state could not possibly exert on the regional and global stage the kind of influence needed for the task. The Cambodia issue changed all that. Singapore and her diplomats, by their conviction and doggedness, took the lead in galvanizing international and regional support to thwart the occupation of Cambodia as a fait accompli by Vietnam. This paper tells the inside story of how Singapore's diplomats lobbied for ASEAN's interests in various international fora at a critical time in the region's history. The lessons learnt are still relevant today.
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 OC global cityOCO. The volume is divided into four thematic sections: foreign policy, ASEAN regionalism, multiculturalism, and Singapore''s history OCo broadly encompassin...
The current political events surrounding the Iranian nuclear crisis, the precarious situation in Lebanon, as well as the still unsettled fate of Iraq have resulted in a renewed interest in the Shi'ite dimension of Islam among political observers. This volume covers the phenomenon of political assertiveness among contemporary Shi'ite Muslims in the Middle East, as well as among converts in Southeast Asia. It argues that Shi'ite identities are often based on local cultural heritage and history and are - contrary to what is usually assumed by the wider public - not to be considered monolithic. Christoph Marcinkowski, award-winning Professor of Islamic Studies and Interreligious Relations at Germany's Catholic University of Eichstatt-Ingolstadt and the author of "Religion and Politics in Iraq," is currently working for Germany's Federal Interior Ministry and CIBEDO (the Christian-Muslim dialogue forum of the German Catholic Bishops' Conference) on a survey of Shi'ite organisations in Germa
2005 was the 40th anniversary of Singapore's independence. This collection of essays by Singapore's past and present diplomats tells the remarkable story of how this small and vulnerable country has become a stable, prosperous and respected member of the international community. The essays include those from the late President Wee Kim Wee and President S R Nathan as well as seminal contributions from the four former Foreign Ministers -- Mr S Rajaratnam, Mr S Dhanabalan, Mr Wong Kan Seng and Professor S Jayakumar. The current Foreign Minister, Mr George Yeo, has written the foreword. The absorbing stories about people, places and international politics make this book a highly enjoyable read f...
In 1960, the GDP per capita of Southeast Asian countries was nearly half of that of Africa. By 1986 the gap had closed and today the trend is reversed, with more than half of the world's poorest now living in sub Saharan Africa. Why has Asia developed while Africa lagged? The Asian Aspiration chronicles the stories of explosive growth and changing fortunes: the leaders, events and policy choices that lifted a billion people out of abject poverty within a single generation, the largest such shift in human history. The relevance of Asia's example comes as Africa is facing a population boom, which can either lead to crisis or prosperity, and as Asia is again transforming, this time out of low-cost manufacturing into hi-tech, leaving a void that is Africa's for the taking. Far from the optimistic determinism of "Africa Rising," this book calls for unprecedented pragmatism in the pursuit of African success.
The legitimacy of international and regional organizations and their actions is frequently asserted and challenged by states and commentators alike. Their authorisations or conduct of military interventions, their structures of decision-making, and their involvement into what states deem to be domestic matters have all raised questions of legitimacy. As international organizations lack the coercive powers of states, legitimacy is also considered central to their ability to attain compliance with their decisions. Despite the prominence of legitimacy talk around international organizations, little attention has been paid to the practices and processes through which such organizations and their...
This title focuses on the theme of non-traditional security, especially issues impacting Asia. The issues revolve around human security and range from climate change and natural disasters; energy security; health, food and water security; to questions of internal challenges such as governance, politics and identity.