Essay (Final draft)

Bridging the social gap between Singaporeans and foreign workers through proactive cultural awareness

     According to Goldin (2009), rapid globalization has triggered a multiplicity of global issues that seem to plague the world today. With growing labor needs in developed countries, the demand for cheap and unskilled laborers from less developed countries continues to rise  (McKay, 2013). A cosmopolitan city like Singapore is one such place that relies heavily on foreign workers to fill in the demand for unskilled labor in the construction industry. However, the influx of foreign workers appears to have caused problems for the local community. Media reports on the unruliness of migrant workers and the lack of social integration seem to resonate among Singaporeans and this has led to the growing animosity between locals and foreign workers. Despite the government’s fruitless efforts to encourage smooth integration, there is still much to be done to alleviate the tension between the locals and foreign workers (Ng, 2010; Lim, 2013). For instance, the state could proactively inculcate cultural awareness through the use of education and mass media for both parties, narrowing the social divide.

     The resentment between locals and foreign workers can largely be attributed to the lack of cultural understanding between the two. Despite the state actively promoting multiculturalism, this only extends to the local community and fails to include the foreign workers at large (Aricat, 2013). In fact, a large segment of the society shows little understanding of foreign cultures, and tends to expect foreign workers to conform to local norms instead of trying to foster mutual understanding. On the other hand, foreign workers, who are mostly transient, are not motivated to acculturate to the host society as they are mostly motivated by economic benefits.  Furthermore, the tendency for local residents to portray a superiority-complex as well as to dually treat foreign workers by “accepting them economically and excluding them psychologically” has led to the marginalized social status of migrant workers (Gu, Zheng & Yi, 2007, p.2). This lack of acceptance of foreign workers could in turn lead to them rejecting the host society, exacerbating the social divide. One fine example would be the riot involving migrant workers that broke out in Little India due to the death of their peer (Lim, 2013). Many have speculated that the underlying cause of the riot was recourse to the oppression and unfair treatment faced by foreign workers. Nevertheless, the media sensationalized the incident, which fueled widespread criticisms from Singaporeans, and intensified the strained relationship between locals and foreign workers.

    

     The Singapore government has employed various strategies to counter the current divide by providing cultural education for foreign workers. The Migrant Workers Centre (MWC) and NTUC LearningHub jointly conducts a one-day course in the hope of empowering foreign workers with knowledge of societal norms, which might enable these foreigners to better assimilate into local society (Ng, 2010). However, not every migrant worker is entitled to the one-day program as the hefty cost of the program ($82.50 per person) deters employers from signing up (Ng, 2010). Furthermore, government efforts of social integration have been mainly focused on the “functional type” of integration and little effort has been placed on social and emotional needs (Saad, 2014).  Thus, the government has to play a more active role in enforcing more feasible means of social integration for the foreign workers. 

      In order to create social cohesion among Singaporeans and foreign workers, the state could provide extensive cultural education for both Singaporeans and foreign workers. As mentioned earlier, it is not sufficient for workers to be integrated in a functional manner. They should be taught the norms of the local community more in-depth and such lessons should be available at an affordable rate. Singaporeans, on the other hand, should be educated on the various cultures of foreign workers and be taught to question individual undesirable behavior objectively without condemning foreign workers as a whole. One way in which the state could propagate cultural education to large masses of Singaporeans is through the usage of mass media. Advertisements on media portals such as television, radio and social media, which showcase the cultural values of migrant communities in a creative manner, may enable Singaporeans to learn more about the migrant communities. This may also aid in the debunking of stereotypes attributed to foreign workers.

     However, implementing such measures could lead to possible backlash from both the migrant workers and Singaporeans. Despite the efforts to culturally educate both groups, Singaporeans may still be unwilling to accept the differences in cultures while the foreign workers, being transient, may not be inclined to integrate with the society. Moreover, using mass media to shed a positive view of foreign cultures may invite criticisms as Singaporeans may misinterpret the state’s efforts as "pro-foreigner".  

     

     Despite the limitations of implementing such measures, doing nothing on the other hand could prove to be catastrophic as it would be a matter a time before the issue boils over. Hence, proactive cultural education is an integral step that must be undertaken in order to bridge the social divide.

References

Aricat, R. (2013). Indian migrant workers rioting in Singapore: Revisiting acculturation paradigms. Economic & Political Weekly.

Goldin, I. (2009). Navigating our global future. Retrieved fromhttp://www.ted.com/talks/ian_goldin_navigating_our_global_future?language=en

Gu, S., Zheng, L., & Yi, S. (2007). Problems of rural migrant workers and policies in the new period of urbanization. China Population, Resources and Enviornment, 17(1):1-5.

Lim, Y. L. (2013, December 10). Little India Riot: Police say situation did not call for use of service revolvers. The Straits Times. Retrieved from http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/little-india-riot-20131210

McKay, S. L. (2013). Globalization, localization and language attitudes: The case of “foreign workers” in Singapore. Multilingual Education 2013 3:3

Ng, G. (2010, September 20). Helping foreign workers integrate. My Paper. Retrieved fromhttp://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20100920-238037.html

Saad, I. (2014, January 20). More can be done to address foreign workers’ social, emotional needs: NGOs. Channel News Asia. Retrieved fromhttp://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/more-can-be-done-to/959986.html

Reader Response Final Draft (Edited)

In 'Globalization of Culture Through the Media' (2002), Kraidy attempts to evaluate the different perspectives of globalization, namely cultural imperialism and hybridization through media. He describes the first school of thought, cultural imperialism, to be one where Western nations are exerting their dominance by exporting their ideas through the media to developing countries. He then explores the second school of thought, cultural hybridization, to be one where the phenomenon of localization that adapts the imported ideas to one’s own culture inherently relinquishes developing countries from Western domination. He then comes to the conclusion that cultures around the world inherently amalgamate imported cultures with their own, and transnational mass media only exacerbate this process.

I agree with Kraidy’s view that mass media act as an accelerant to hybridization instead of being the root cause of it. This can be illustrated in the example of the 2011 Social Media uprising that occurred in Egypt. Dubbed as a highly conservative nation, the revolution led by urban youth has resulted in sweeping cultural changes, which depicts the adaptation of Western ideas of democracy and freedom into their lives. Thus, it is evident that the Egyptians’ dissatisfaction with the incumbent authoritative regime was already set in motion over the decades. However, social media, like Facebook and Twitter, was the spark that provided protestors with the means for the movement. Protestors were able to organize activists within Egypt and spread their message worldwide. Hence, the Egyptians’ desire for liberation from the oppressive regime was in response to a longstanding internal predicament rather than an instant reaction brought upon by transnational media. 

However, the rapidity in which, mass media influences hybridization is not one to be taken lightly. Transnational mass media have redefined the terms in which we acquire information across nations. With a click of a button, we have access to television programs, news and other events that are broadcast on the other side of the world. Social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, have enabled us to connect with people from all over the world. What used to take months or even years to reach us from the people in other nations now takes mere minutes to reach us; such is the power of mass media. I can't help but wonder then, how long will it take for our definition of Singaporean culture to evolve drastically, as constant hybridization will eventually result in a completely different culture.

References

Kraidy, M. M. (2002). Globalization of Culture Through the Media. Retrieved from http://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1333&context=asc_papers

Bridging the social gap between Singaporeans and foreign workers through proactive cultural education.

     According to Goldin (2009), rapid globalization has triggered a multiplicity of global issues that seem to plague the world today. With growing labor needs in developed countries, the demand for cheap and unskilled laborers from less developed countries continues to grow  (McKay, 2013). A cosmopolitan city like Singapore is one such place that relies heavily on foreign workers to fill in the demand for unskilled labor in the construction industry. However, the influx of foreign workers appears to have caused problems for the local community. Media reports on the unruliness of migrant workers and the lack of social integration seem to resonate among Singaporeans. Hence, there is growing animosity between locals and foreign workers. Despite the government’s fruitless efforts to encourage smooth integration, there is still much to be done to alleviate the tension between the locals and foreign workers. For instance, proactive cultural education undertaken by the state can aid in narrowing the social gap between the two.

     The resentment between locals and foreign workers can largely be attributed to the lack of cultural understanding between the two. Despite the state actively promoting multiculturalism, this only extends to the local community and fails to include the foreign workers at large (Aricat, 2013). In fact, a large segment of the society shows little understanding of foreign cultures, and tends to expect foreign workers to conform to local norms instead of trying to foster mutual understanding. On the other hand, foreign workers, who are mostly transient, are not motivated to acculturate to host societies as they are mostly motivated by economic benefits.  Furthermore, the tendency for local residents to portray a superiority-complex as well as to dually treat foreign workers by “accepting them economically and excluding them psychologically” has led to the marginalized social status of migrant workers (Gu. Zheng & Yi, 2007, p.2). This lack of acceptance of foreign workers could in turn lead to them rejecting the host society and thus, exacerbate the social divide. One fine example would be the riot involving migrant workers that broke out in Little India due to the death of their peer (Lim, 2013). Many have speculated that the underlying cause of the riot was recourse to the oppression and unfair treatment faced by foreign workers. Nevertheless, the media sensationalized the incident, which fueled widespread criticisms from Singaporeans, and intensified the strained relationship between locals and foreign workers.

     The Singapore government has employed various strategies to counter the current divide by providing cultural education for foreign workers. The Migrant Workers Centre (MWC) and NTUC LearningHub conducts a one-day course in the hope of empowering foreign workers with knowledge of societal norms, which might enable these foreigners to better assimilate into local society (Ng, 2010). However, not every migrant worker is entitled to the one-day program as the hefty cost of the program ($82.50 per person) deters employers from signing up (Ng, 2010). Furthermore, government efforts of integration have been mainly focused on the “functional type” of integration and little effort has been placed on their social and emotional needs (Saad, 2014).  Thus, the government has to play an active role in enforcing more feasible means of social integration for the foreign workers. 

     In order to create social cohesion among Singaporeans and foreign workers, the state could provide extensive cultural education for both Singaporeans and foreign workers. As mentioned earlier, it is not sufficient for workers to be integrated in a functional manner. They should be taught the norms of the local community more in-depth and such lessons should be available at an affordable rate. Singaporeans, on the other hand, should be educated on the various cultures of foreign workers and be taught to question individual undesirable behavior objectively without condemning foreign workers as a whole. One way in which the state could propagate cultural education to large masses of Singaporeans is through the usage of mass media. Advertisements on media portals such as television, radio and social media, which showcase the cultural values of migrant communities in a creative manner, may enable Singaporeans to learn more about the migrant communities. This may also aid in the debunking of stereotypes attributed to foreign workers.

     However, implementing such measures could lead to possible backlash from both the migrant workers and Singaporeans. Despite the efforts to culturally educate both groups, Singaporeans may still be unwilling to accept the differences in cultures while the foreign workers, being transient may not be inclined to integrate with the society. Moreover, using mass media to shed a positive view of foreign cultures may invite criticisms as Singaporeans may misinterpret the state’s efforts as pro-foreigners.

     Despite the limitations of implementing such measures, doing nothing on the other hand could prove to be catastrophic as it would be a matter a time before the issue boils over. Hence, proactive cultural education is an integral step that must be undertaken in order to bridge the social divide.

814 Words

References

Aricat, R. (2013). Indian migrant workers rioting in Singapore: Revisiting acculturation paradigms. Economic & Political Weekly.

Goldin, I. (2009). Navigating our global future. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/ian_goldin_navigating_our_global_future?language=en

Gu, S., Zheng, L., & Yi, S. (2007). Problems of rural migrant workers and policies in the new period of urbanization. China Population, Resources and Enviornment, 17(1):1-5.

Lim, Y. L. (2013, December 10). Little India Riot: Police say situation did not call for use of service revolvers. The Straits Times. Retrieved from http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/little-india-riot-20131210

McKay, S. L. (2013). Globalization, localization and language attitudes: The case of “foreign workers” in Singapore. Multilingual Education 2013 3:3

Ng, G. (2010, September 20). Helping foreign workers integrate. My Paper. Retrieved from http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20100920-238037.html

Saad, I. (2014, January 20). More can be done to address foreign workers’ social, emotional needs: NGOs. Channel News Asia. Retrieved from http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/more-can-be-done-to/959986.html

Essay outline

Research Question: Given the growing tension between singaporeans and foreign workers, what can the government do to narrow the gap between the two?

Thesis statement: Positive media coverage coupled with cultural education can aid in narrowing the social gap between the two.

Introduction

Problem: The influx of foreign workers, largely due to globalization, seems to have caused problems for the local community. Media reports on the unruliness of foreign workers and their lack of social integration seems to resonate among the locals, as such, there is growing animosity between locals and foreign workers.

Solution: Positive media coverage in addition to cultural education could help in curbing the social divide between locals and foreign workers. 

Body Paragraph 1

Topic sentence: The animosity between locals and foreign workers can be mainly attributed to lack of cultural understanding between the two. 

Brief description: Singaporeans’ cultural ignorance as well as expectations of the foreign workers to conform to local norms seems to contribute to the problem. Furthermore foreign workers’ lack of understanding of Singaporean culture as well as the growing number of foreign workers enables them to create their own community within Singapore. This gives them lesser reasons to integrate with the locals.

Description of one existing solution: The government in Singapore has employed various strategies to counter the current divide between locals and foreign workers. One such measure is cultural education to educate foreigners on the norms in Singapore.

Effectiveness of Solution:

Possible solution 1: Cultural education for both singaporeans and foreign workers. It is not sufficient for foreign workers to have just a small briefing on singaporean norms. They should be taught in-depth the norms of the local community and the reasons behind such norms. Explain to the foreign workers how they are perceived by singaporeans and encourage them to challenge these stereotypes by putting in efforts to integrate with the local community. And for singaporeans, they should be educated on the various cultures of foreign workers. Instead of condemning the behavior, encourage them to question why such behaviors occur.

Cons: singaporeans unwilling to accept the differences in cultures and foreign workers being transient may not be inclined to integrate despite efforts to educate them.
 
Possible solution 2: Positive media coverage allows singaporeans to have a positive view of foreign workers and slowly debunk stereotypes attributed to foreign workers. This also boosts foreign workers' morales and give them a reason to try and amalgamate with the local community. When they see themselves portrayed positively they may be more inclined to behave in line with their ‘new’ image.

Cons:possible black-lash for exclusively focusing only on the positive side of foreign workers. Cannot control people from posting their own interpretations or complaints on social media like blogs, Facebook etc.  

Conclusion: