Black lives matter: perceived (Ir)relevance to understanding race issues in Singapore

Abstract

Following the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests after the death of George Floyd, many, especially racial minorities, took to social media to lend support to BLM and verbalise their lived experiences which challenge taken-for-granted notions of ‘multiracialism,’ and ‘racial harmony’ in Singapore. However, citing the vastly different contexts, others criticised them for doing so. Using the Diffusion Theory, this paper explores the following: What is the perceived (ir)relevance of BLM in understanding local race issues to Singaporean youths? How has social media mediated the impacts of this larger transnational movement on local race discussions? Through 20 in-depth interviews with youths of various racial categories, including the Black diaspora, this paper illuminates the ways in which transnational solidarity was formed around the core value of social justice for marginalised groups, with social media facilitating this process. Concurrently, it reveals that race discussions need to be more nuanced moving forward.

Keywords: Black Lives Matter, Diffusion Theory, Chinese Privilege, racism, Singapore, blackness