Discussion on National Identity & Backgrounds

Family Backgrounds and Origins

  • Adrianne (from France)
    • Mother: Psychologist and trade unionist in a hospital.
    • Father: Accountant, unemployed for three years before finding new work.
    • Siblings: One brother and one half-sister.
    • Born and studied in Toulouse, France.
  • Aisha (ethnic Malay Muslim Singaporean)
    • Humble beginnings.
    • Father: Switched many jobs.
    • Mother: Contract jobs.
    • Eldest of three children.
    • Close-knit family.
  • Deborah Ong (Singaporean)
    • Family: Parents, elder brother, and domestic helper.
    • Lived in Singapore for most of her life, with a period in the US as a child (returned to Singapore at age three).
    • Father is Chinese, mother is Indian.
  • Josiah Choi (Singaporean)
    • Grew up in Mexico for seventeen years.
    • Younger sister born in Mexico (holds a Mexican passport).
    • Parents are missionaries in Mexico (returned last year after over twenty years).

Defining National Identity: Singaporean vs. Other Identities

  • Singaporean Identity: The group discusses their comfort level in defining themselves as Singaporean and what influences their sense of national identity.
  • Aisha: Identifies comfortably as Singaporean.
    • Speaks Singlish and switches between Malay and Singlish easily.
    • Notes a dichotomy between ethnic culture and Singaporean identity but doesn't see it as a major issue.
    • Proud to be Singaporean.
  • Josiah: Identifies as Singaporean.
    • Embraces his upbringing in Mexico.
    • Thinks in Spanish.
    • Proud of Singapore's achievements in a short time (50 years).
  • Deborah: Identifies as Singaporean.
    • Believes identifying as Singaporean doesn't require conforming to stereotypes.
    • Born in the US, renounced US citizenship to remain in Singapore.
  • Adrian: Feels more French when overseas.
    • Initially felt more European but now identifies strongly as French, especially after experiencing different ways of thinking abroad.

Factors Influencing National Identity

  • Singapore:
    • People: Deborah and Aisha connect Singaporean identity to family and friends rather than national ideals.
    • Family: Josiah emphasizes the importance of family, especially when living overseas without extended family.
    • Race: Josiah notes feeling more at home in Singapore where he blends in, unlike in Mexico where he stood out as Asian.
  • France
    • French Revolution Ideals: Ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity resonate with Adrian.

Renouncing US Citizenship

  • Deborah: The decision was made with advice from family and others.
  • Factors: Expectation of staying in Singapore, having a law degree and bar qualification in Singapore.

Feeling French

  • Adrian: Initially didn't feel a strong national identity because French identity is built individually rather than imposed.
  • French Revolution Impact: The French Revolution influenced society, encouraging independent thinking and diversity.

Importance of National Ideals

  • Singaporean Pledge: Deborah appreciates the pledge's emphasis on regardless of race, language, or religion as an ideal.
  • Meritocracy: Aisha notes that meritocracy is a value promoted in schools but questions its fairness due to unequal talent and outcomes.

Race and Identity

  • Aisha: Considers race and religion (Muslim) as defining factors, feeling more connected to Malaysian Malays due to similar religious values.
  • Deborah: Feels like a hybrid of Chinese and Indian.
    • Identifies as "other" rather than specifically Chinese, even though official records state otherwise.
    • Decisions are person-based rather than race-based.
  • Josiah: Doesn't feel particularly Chinese, identifies strongly as Singaporean.

Racial Dynamics and Integration

  • France:
    • No official race on identity cards.
    • Government aims for integration, but racial and social diversity pose challenges.
  • Singapore:
    • Adrian perceives Singaporeans as Singaporean, regardless of race or color.

Consciousness of Racial Differences

  • Aisha: Highly conscious of racial differences, especially when she is the only Malay in a group or when traveling overseas and having to explain her Singaporean-Malay identity.
  • Deborah: Conscious of race due to her perception of how others see her.
  • Josiah: Can blend in Singapore due to being Chinese but was conscious of being different in Mexico.

National Service Challenges

  • Josiah: Faced challenges in National Service due to not being socialized in Singaporean culture and not knowing the national anthem or pledge.

Influence of School on National Identity

  • France: School (history and citizenship classes) builds social links and national identity.
  • Singapore: The influence of school is more implicit and is designed to build a certain mold.

Tolerance vs. Acceptance

  • Communication: Aisha believes a lack of open communication about sensitive matters hinders the move from tolerance to acceptance.
  • Complex Answers: Deborah notes that people often seek easy answers and make assumptions about others' backgrounds.
  • Source of Fear: The fear of being insensitive often stems from being taught to be careful about race and religious issues.

Racism Experiences

  • Josiah: Experienced racism in Mexico, not so much within the international school but more in public settings.