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The argument is often made that, as Singapore consolidates its position as a First-World city, its citizens should naturally be accorded more individual rights and freedom. Before this can be done, however, Singaporeans must understand the intimate relationship between rights and responsibilities. Whilst we would treasure the freedom to do and say what we want, we do not always acknowledge the responsibilities associated with these freedoms. Participants will assess what kinds of rights – civil, political, economic, social and cultural – they believe are important for a globalised society. They will then explore the delicate balance between individual rights and collective needs and consider how individual rights can/should be reconciled with the notion of the social contract. Here are some relevant resources you can refer to. - Discrimination enshrined in the law: A short commentary
- A challenge for the future
- Civil and political society in Singapore and Southeast Asia: Emerging trends and definitions
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- A Clash of Rights and Responsibilities
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt
- Paying the Price
| 1. Discrimination enshrined in the law: A short commentary | | “Regardless of race, language or religion…” Our national pledge reminds us constantly that discrimination is not tolerated in Singapore. Yet, pry further into a statute as basic as the Constitution and we find that discrimination is enshrined in the law. | | http://www.singaporelawreview.org/2008/09/discrimination-enshrined-in-the-law-a-short-commentary/ | The Singapore Law Review. 2008. Discrimination enshrined in the law: A short commentary. (Juris Entry) . [Online] [Updated 5 September 2008]
Available at http://www.singaporelawreview.org/2008/09/discrimination-enshrined-in-the-law-a-short-commentary/ [Accessed 13 July 2009] | | [ Back to Top ] | | 2. A challenge for the future | | A Catherine Lim viewpoint about the future that no Singaporean should miss. Democratising the Lee Kuan Yew model of governance
Recorded speech by author Catherine Lim at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy on Feb 22. (This was offered to, but turned down, by the Straits Times). | | http://www.littlespeck.com/content/politics/CTrendsPolitics-080327.htm | | Little Speck. 2008. A challenge for the future. [Online] [Updated 27 March 2008] Available at http://www.littlespeck.com/content/politics/CTrendsPolitics-080327.htm | | [ Back to Top ] | | 3. Civil and political society in Singapore and Southeast Asia: Emerging trends and definitions | | CIVIL society is very much a part of and central to political society. To clinically separate the two, is a failure to understand the symbiotic relationship between civil and political society. This is the deficiency of recent discussions that aim to draw a dichotomous distinction between civil and political society in Singapore. Essentially some commentators define civil society as groups and associations in between the state and family that are non-partisan. They work with the government to provide direct services and bring about improvements in public policy. While on the other hand, political society is defined as the realm where political parties contest for dominance over government. | | http://www.singapore-window.org/sw99/90218jgz.htm | Singapore Window. ?. Civil and political society in Singapore and Southeast Asia: Emerging trends and definitions. [Online] [Updated ?]
Available at http://www.singapore-window.org/sw99/90218jgz.htm | | [ Back to Top ] | | 4. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights | | On December 10, 1948 the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights the full text of which appears in the following pages. Following this historic act the Assembly called upon all Member countries to publicize the text of the Declaration and "to cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in schools and other educational institutions, without distinction based on the political status of countries or territories." | | http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/ | The United Nations. 2009. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. [Online] [Updated ?]
Available at http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/ [Accessed 13 July 2009]. | | [ Back to Top ] | | 5. A Clash of Rights and Responsibilities | | Western governments have reacted with noticeable caution over the cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. The last thing these governments want is another confrontation in which Islam is seen to be pitched against the West. The strategy therefore is to try to prevent this from becoming a "clash of civilisations". | | http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4686536.stm | BBC. 2006. A Clash of Rights and Responsibilities. [Online] [Updated 6 February 2006]
Available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4686536.stm [Accessed 13 July 2009]. | | [ Back to Top ] | | 6. Franklin Delano Roosevelt | | Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivered a speech to the President and members of the 77th Congress on 6 January, 1941. | | http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/fdrthefourfreedoms.htm | American Rhetoric. 2009. Franklin Delano Roosevelt. [Online] [Updated ?]
Available at http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/fdrthefourfreedoms.htm [Accessed 13 July 2009]. (second half) | | [ Back to Top ] | | 7. Paying the Price | | FIVE years ago, Britain’s newly appointed information commissioner, Richard Thomas, gave warning that the public was in danger of “sleepwalking into a surveillance society”. Last week, as he prepared to leave office, he claimed that although he had not been able to halt the tidal wave of official intrusion into the private lives of citizens, he did believe that people’s eyes were now open and that, consequently, the nation’s rulers had become more aware of the need to balance security with liberty. A.C. Grayling is far less sanguine. | | http://www.economist.com/books/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13855175 | The Economist. 2009. Paying the Price. [Online] [Updated 18 June 2009]
Available at http://www.economist.com/books/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13855175 [Accessed 13 July 2009]. | | [ Back to Top ] |
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