THE POLITICS OF HERITAGE: COMPLICATING THE SINGAPORE BOTANIC GARDENS' AS A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

Abstract

2015 was a monumental year for Singapore as she celebrated 50 years as a successful sovereign nation-state. In the same year, the Singapore Botanic Gardens was officially inscribed as Singapore’s first UNESCO World Heritage site. As a crucial milestone in Singapore’s cultural heritage landscape, this thesis will utilize the Singapore Botanic Gardens’ World Heritage journey as a case study to illuminate the complexities that surround the administration of heritage in Singapore. Fundamentally, it will assert that the state's pragmatic approach towards heritage erodes its intrinsic value as an unquantifiable emotive linkage between humans and history. This thesis will first begin with a historical understanding of the state's perceptions towards heritage and the institutional mechanisms that dictate heritage policies. Before delving into the details of the Singapore Botanic Gardens' three-year-long nomination process, this thesis will unpack the concept of 'world heritage' and underscore the significance of the World Heritage program. This sets the context for Singapore's meticulous pursuit for a World Heritage accolade as preparations for a nationwide Golden Jubilee celebrations were underway. Although the Singapore Botanic Gardens' World Heritage journey appeared direct, the various stages of the process were complicated by the politics present at the international and national level. Lastly, the wider implications of this process on Singapore’s administration of heritage will be explored.