The eroding power of anti-immigrant attitudes for social cohesion in Singapore

more myth than fact?

authored by: Peter Dirksmeier
Abstract: This paper analyses the impact of anti-immigrant attitudes on social cohesion in Singapore. The OLS regression models show that anti-immigrant attitudes have a negative influence on social cohesion in all analyses, but this influence is weak and falls behind the ambiguous influence of patriotism. In some of the data, there is a significant difference in social cohesion between the centre and the peripheral districts of Singapore, which can only be attributed to a small extent to composition effects. The results of the analyses thus show that the partially state-led measures for social cohesion in a post-colonial society are indeed effective. However, the multicultural Singaporean society obviously also reacts to cohesion policy measures in a group-specific manner. It is noticeable that social cohesion and an open culture for newcomers cannot be thought of separately. These policies should therefore focus even more strongly than before on social cohesion as societal cohesion.
Organisation(s): Institute of Economic and Human Geography
Type: Article
Journal: GeoJournal
Volume: 89
ISSN: 0343-2521
Publication date: 19.10.2024
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Geography, Planning and Development
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-024-11230-3 (Access: Open)

BibTeX

@article{84a17fead56043f08bf15fd08020e71b,
title = "The eroding power of anti-immigrant attitudes for social cohesion in Singapore: more myth than fact?",
abstract = "This paper analyses the impact of anti-immigrant attitudes on social cohesion in Singapore. The OLS regression models show that anti-immigrant attitudes have a negative influence on social cohesion in all analyses, but this influence is weak and falls behind the ambiguous influence of patriotism. In some of the data, there is a significant difference in social cohesion between the centre and the peripheral districts of Singapore, which can only be attributed to a small extent to composition effects. The results of the analyses thus show that the partially state-led measures for social cohesion in a post-colonial society are indeed effective. However, the multicultural Singaporean society obviously also reacts to cohesion policy measures in a group-specific manner. It is noticeable that social cohesion and an open culture for newcomers cannot be thought of separately. These policies should therefore focus even more strongly than before on social cohesion as societal cohesion.",
keywords = "Anti-immigrant attitudes, Patriotism, Popular nationalism, Singapore, Social cohesion",
author = "Peter Dirksmeier",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2024.",
year = "2024",
month = oct,
day = "19",
doi = "10.1007/s10708-024-11230-3",
language = "English",
volume = "89",
journal = "GeoJournal",
issn = "0343-2521",
publisher = "Springer Netherlands",
number = "6",
}