S'pore's tribes and the challenge of resisting identity politics

The issue of tribalism and identity was discussed at a conference this week. Insight looks at why the subject has come under the spotlight and why it matters.

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When a spate of racist incidents this year sparked discussion about race and privilege in Singapore, two distinct responses emerged among Chinese Singaporeans.

The incidents, which saw racial minorities harassed, prompted some Singaporeans of minority races to speak out about the discrimination and daily microaggression they experience and the "Chinese privilege" that exists in multiracial Singapore.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 27, 2021, with the headline S'pore's tribes and the challenge of resisting identity politics. Subscribe