Abstract
Singapore has been well-known for its strict censorship against the press since the 1970s. It is done out of the authoritarian belief that the government knows better than anyone how “to advance the economic, social and cultural well-being of their peoples.” The press should be kept under the tight control of the government to serve public interest.
The appeal of Singapore's theories of censorship lies in the popular values it promotes. In particular, the generic values, such as patriotism, social harmony and economic growth, are upheld by authoritarian regimes and embedded in their policies, deserve special attention.
To these censorship claims, one may simply denounce them as violating international human rights norms. But criticisms offered by this paper take another path. It will be based on thorough discussion of both the conceptual issues involved as well as detailed analysis of the social situation in Singapore. In the following, two major theories of press censorship in Singapore, namely the development-oriented argument and the Asian values argument, will be presented and criticized. Each theory will be given a sympathetic understanding before it is subjected to critical scrutiny by looking into its theoretical shortcoming and empirical validity. It is hoped that a critique of these two arguments, based on considerate analysis of Singapore’s situation, can enhance the understanding of their fundamental weaknesses while we show our sensitivity to its cultural particularity that gives rise to these censorship claims.
The appeal of Singapore's theories of censorship lies in the popular values it promotes. In particular, the generic values, such as patriotism, social harmony and economic growth, are upheld by authoritarian regimes and embedded in their policies, deserve special attention.
To these censorship claims, one may simply denounce them as violating international human rights norms. But criticisms offered by this paper take another path. It will be based on thorough discussion of both the conceptual issues involved as well as detailed analysis of the social situation in Singapore. In the following, two major theories of press censorship in Singapore, namely the development-oriented argument and the Asian values argument, will be presented and criticized. Each theory will be given a sympathetic understanding before it is subjected to critical scrutiny by looking into its theoretical shortcoming and empirical validity. It is hoped that a critique of these two arguments, based on considerate analysis of Singapore’s situation, can enhance the understanding of their fundamental weaknesses while we show our sensitivity to its cultural particularity that gives rise to these censorship claims.
| Original language | English |
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| Publication status | Published - May 2004 |
| Event | 54th Annual International Communication Association Conference, ICA 2004: Communication Research in the Public Interest - New Orleans, LA, United States Duration: 27 May 2004 → 31 May 2004 https://convention2.allacademic.com/one/ica/ica04/ (Link to conference online programme) |
Conference
| Conference | 54th Annual International Communication Association Conference, ICA 2004 |
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| Abbreviated title | ICA2004 |
| Country/Territory | United States |
| City | New Orleans, LA |
| Period | 27/05/04 → 31/05/04 |
| Internet address |
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