“EVERY CREED AND EVERY RACE, HAS IT’S ROLE AND HAS IT’S PLACE”: HOW EMOTIONAL WORK IN THE NATIONAL SERVICE CONTRIBUTES TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF GENDERED ROLES BY THE STATE

Abstract

National Service is often portrayed as a rite of passage for all Singaporean men and perceived as a way of life in Singapore. Due to the vulnerabilities attached to Singapore’s geopolitical, historical and social conditions, NS has largely been accepted by the population. During the mandatory two years of service, National Service Full-Timers (NSFs) are expected to perform and adopt certain attitudes and values. Adopting Goffman’s theory of a total institution, this thesis found that NSFs’ compliance is achieved through the emotional labour that they put in to work together with their similar others. In doing so, NSFs are moulded to become productive and efficient citizens. However, certain limitations are placed on Malay-Muslim NSFs and their citizenship is bound by a different set of expectations. While Singaporean men are trained to become competent citizens, NS is also a tool of the state to train Singaporean women to take on a passive and supportive role in order to provide emotional support to the NSFs. As such, women are excluded from the public realm and anchored in the private realm. Different citizenship roles are thus structured by the state through NS, and the general acceptance of these roles not just legitimizes the racial and gender hierarchy in Singapore, but also empowers the state to retain its position as the centre point of Singaporeans’ gendered national identity.