The Rehabilitation and Regulation of Religion in Singapore

Religious Pluralism

“…The accommodation may derive from a formal legal structure that is established that includes a hierarchical arrangement with attendant privileges by category, as has been developed in Singapore (Hill 2004), or the accommodation could be based on customs of long standing, perhaps even from colonial times. Accommodation mechanisms could include a casual approach that ignores minority faiths as long as they are not perceived to be disruptive of the social order, or accommodation could include an overt effort to manage religious diversity using formal processes and procedures established in law.…”

From Clampdown to Limited Empowerment: Soft Law in the Calibration and Regulation of Religious Conduct in Singapore

“…Post 9/11, religion and national security are now even more intimately linked (Bergin et al 2007). Religion and state security are taken seriously in Singapore although there has been no overt religious conflict since its hurried independence in August 1965 (Hill 2003, 2004). 1 In some respects, 9/11 and its aftermath have driven home the message that “religious‐inspired” threats to national security are best dealt with not by indiscriminately clamping down on religion.…”

Norming “Moderation” in an “Iconic Target”: Public Policy and the Regulation of Religious Anxieties in Singapore

“…2 In response, the Singapore government maintains a watchful eye on external influences and is prepared to move preemptively against any threat to social cohesion and harmony. 3 In the 1980s, liberation theology was closely watched. From the 1990s onwards, radical and militant Islam-alongside aggressive evangelization by any faith-is closely monitored.…”