FROM AH GIRLS TO MA’AMS: WOMEN IN THE SINGAPORE NAVY

Abstract

Female combatants in the military have been a fairly recent phenomenon, although women serving in the military in various capacities date much longer back. This paper, using the case study of the Singapore navy, seeks to address the questions of why and how the military engaged women over the years. The expanding roles of women in the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) - from the initial clerical and administrative vocations to service and technical vocations, and finally to combat vocations - can best be understood as responses to societal developments. This thesis borrows Segal's theory on the social conditions for female participation in the military and expands upon the theory by examining the unique factors of Singapore. This paper also informs the considerations and challenges that policymakers should bear in mind when implementing change in the military. Change cannot happen overnight and policy implementation would be extremely haphazard if no attention were to be given to the detailed logistical planning. The present-day challenges that the RSN faces reflect how societal developments ultimately still undergird the developments in military; the military, despite having the power to push the boundaries of what women can be expected to do, unfortunately has to still take cue from society.