Abstract
This chapter analyzes the discourse and practices of Singapore's nation-state as a kind of civil religion, identifying in particular their “religion-like” elements that have played a part in securing the People's Action Party (PAP) government's political legitimacy since the country attained independence in 1965. The chapter locates the evolution of Singapore's civil religion within a public sphere defined by a “pragmatic” mode of secularism and the contradictory tendencies of transactional and transformational modes of leadership that the government, endeavoring to secure the economic and moral bases of its authority, has tried to control.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | State and Secularism |
| Subtitle of host publication | Perspectives from Asia |
| Editors | Michael, Siam-Heng Heng , Chin Liew Ten |
| Publisher | World Scientific |
| Pages | 339-357 |
| Number of pages | 19 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9789814466981 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9789814282376 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Feb 2010 |