LET'S (REALLY) TALK ABOUT CHINESE PRIVILEGE: RACE AND INEQUALITY IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

Discussion of racial relations in Singapore might have just moved beyond the usual discourse of vigilance and fragile harmony to a bolder confrontation of matters. The term 'Chinese privilege' has entered the vocabulary of racial discussions in Singapore, but not every individual agrees that Chinese privilege exists. This thesis will use anomalous interview results to explain that the current discourse on Chinese privilege is not complex enough to reflect the nuances of racial inequality in Singapore. Through an application of intersectionality, the research attempts to show that while race is important, it is not enough for a discussion of race in Singapore.