Who dragged Christianity into the AWARE Saga? Observations on the role of Christians, value pluralism and contestation in public discourse

Publication Type

Book Chapter

Version

acceptedVersion

Publication Date

1-2011

Abstract

With 85 per cent of Singaporeans professing to belong to a religion, religion forms a core part of many Singaporeans’ identities and value systems. That religion and politics are not distinct and mutually exclusive spheres of influence and experience is also recognised by the state. The Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) dispute started quite innocuously, with initial indications being that of an internal spat that occurs once in a while in the nascent civil society space. As it is well-known by now, a group of relatively new and unknown members (the “new guard”) assumed control of AWARE at its annual general meeting in March 2009. The long-established stalwarts (the “old guard”) complacently failed to see the signs when applications for new memberships spiked in the lead up to the annual general meeting. But this was no ordinary leadership change or renewal. The installation of the new leadership in AWARE set in motion a series of events, culminating in the hot-tempered extraordinary general meeting (EGM), called by the old guard, in May 2009.

Keywords

Non-profit organizations, religion, politics, social ethics, civil society, Singapore

Discipline

Asian Studies | Law and Society | Nonprofit Administration and Management | Religion Law

Research Areas

Public Interest Law, Community and Social Justice

Publication

The AWARE Saga: Civil society and public morality in Singapore

Editor

Terence Chong

First Page

51

Last Page

73

ISBN

9789971695514

Identifier

10.2307/j.ctv1ntg7c.7

Publisher

NUS Press

City or Country

Singapore

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv1ntg7c.7

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