“Confronting incivilities” : a study on the strategies employed in the negotiation of civility on the MRT train

Abstract

It is inevitable for conflicts in any social setting, especially one that boasts of high levels of social interaction to be completely eradicated. The MRT train in Singapore is a typical example where people from different backgrounds come together in a confined and often overcrowded space. Existing literature on the lack of social graces on the MRT train are plentiful. In a BBC Viewpoint piece, Singapore was branded as a country with a ‘massive compassion deficit’ by an expat after her ‘vulnerable’ encounter on the MRT train. This prompted the government to launch yet another national campaign – ‘Bring out the thoughtfulness in you’ – as strategy in confronting incivilities. This paper aims to look beyond this, to explore different strategies such as through the use of STOMP and the act of intervention in addressing the issue on civility on the MRT train.