IAS001 Exploring Asian Identities (Offered in AY 2016 - 2017 T1)

The objective of the course is to provide students with a multi-disciplinary perspective into the diversity of cultures and societies in Asia, and to critically evaluate the various meanings and representations of Asia and Asians. The course considers the interplay between history, culture, politics and economics in the development of the complex and contested postcolonial Asian nation-states. It explores how identities based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, class and nation-state have shaped and defined the lives of individuals and types of societies in the region. Students will be equipped with a high level of cultural competence and global awareness. Central themes of the course highlight the interconnected yet culturally diverse nature of the world in which we live.

IAS103 Changing Public Policy in Singapore

Singapore is not only a new country, but one which went through types of government in the last two centuries of its modern history. What contributed to Singapore retaining its identity despite these changes? What are some of the challenges facing its present identity? How can its public policy be managed and harnessed to the good of Singapore and her people?

This course seeks to understand and critically examine the changes in the public policy of Singapore since its formation as an East India Company settlement in 1819. The focus is on the way the place has been governed, as how from a mere place, it has become a nation and seeks to maintain and enhance this nationhood in a turbulent world.

IAS201 Popular Culture in Asia (Offered in Ay 2016 - 2017 T1)

This course examines popular culture in a range of Asian countries in light of recent economic and political transformations in the region. It explores the ways in which consumer fashion, popular practices, entertainment and media messages are shaped by class, gender, sexuality, ethnicity and generational relations, as well as by rural-urban differences and contending political ideologies. It considers how globalization and westernization intersect with indigenous and national traditions in the region.

IAS205X: Managing Diversity in Asia

This course invites participants to explore and critically examine concepts of identity, power and privilege through various theories. Drawing from multiple disciplines, students will get to examine forms of ‘difference’ as well as the policy frameworks that guide interactions of cross-cultural groups in Asia and globally. They will additionally be expected to consider the interplay of demographic, historical, cultural and ideological particularities in negotiating between differences. Through a variety of experiential learning activities, this course will require students to reflect critically on the power structures and assumptions that underlie discourses on class, gender, gender identity, class, religion, citizenship, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and disability. Contemporary discussions, research and applications of multiculturalism and diversity in society, organisations and teams will be covered through seminars, dialogues and project work.

IAS305 International and Asian Studies Study Mission

This course endeavors to create a space for you to think about social issues from the perspective of different disciplines. Such mode of thinking is no longer a luxury but has become a necessity in our increasingly complex and interconnected world. You are encouraged to critically examine the topics, surface your assumptions, ask critical questions, and exercise self-reflexivity. Using dialogical and experiential learning approaches, the course aims to facilitate your growth as an open minded, culturally sensitive and intellectually sophisticated thinker.