My baby of a dissertation...

Some of you know what my thesis is about, well today i'm going to 'think-out-loud'... been reading quite a bit... and i've all these concepts and ideas and links.
I'm looking at post 9-11 Singapore: evolving citizenship, estranged identities and enforced security-- Assessing the govt's responses towards the Malay-Muslim community.
It's really interesting to unpack all the academic/scholarly work that has been done on our citizenship, multiculturalism, 'social cohesion', a sense of national identity.
And in trying to make sense of it all... this quote struck me:

"If you care too much about Singapore, first it'll break your spirit, and finally it will break your heart."
-Alfian Saat

Been reading this blog my housemate stumbled upon: one of the many politicised blogs in Singapore now... and i love how she phrases this....

"Singapore, then, is a nation I have always envisaged as a child who went to sleep and, without knowing it, grew to be a man. In his slumber he aged, matured, became strong-limbed and nimble, powerful and beautiful, and yet remained imprisoned in his lethargy. Sedated by peace and numbed by comfort, he was content to lie mute, deaf, non-assertive. But of late his sleep is restless, disturbed by ugly images. His once-blissful dreams have been tinged with unease. Something has gone wrong. Something is not right. And he stirs - a little finger trembles here, a heartbeat quickens there - and soon he will awaken. His eyes will open and he will discover that he has autonomy over his self, his person, that he has power invested in those hands.

And he must do this before a child's cradle turns into a man's grave."
-Gayle Goh


Just something to digest.... ;p