Chinese-educated intellectuals in Singapore : a case study of the tangent.

Abstract

This paper will discuss the emergence of The Tangent, an officially-registered civil society organisation, in the context of the emergence of Chinese-educated intellectuals in Singapore's history. In looking at the way members define themselves in relation to an older cohort of Chinese-educated intellectuals, the English-speaking intellectual circles, other civil society organisations, and the larger Chinese community in Singapore, this paper will attempt to show how the group constructs a distinctive intellectual identity for itself – one that is both 'non-representational' and 'non-political'. By examining the reasons for constructing such an identity, this paper will also show the exercise of reflexivity among members of The Tangent in facing the socio-political environment of contemporary Singapore.