Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
acceptedVersion
Publication Date
7-2023
Abstract
Integration is a contested topic in Singapore’s public discourse. One such area is integration through state-sponsored grassroots community volunteerism. Little is however known about such experiences of grassroots volunteerism to integration outcomes. This paper addresses the gap by exploring how new citizen and permanent resident grassroots volunteers make sense of their experiences through ‘integration taxes' and ‘gestural integration'. In doing so, this paper argues that while grassroots volunteerism offers lower barriers to entry for new citizens, it constraints the diversity of integration by and through new citizen volunteers due to discrimination, marginalisation and staged integration faced in grassroots work.
Keywords
Integration, new citizens, permanent residents, grassroots organisations, community volunteerism, Singapore
Discipline
Asian Studies | Demography, Population, and Ecology | Political Science | Politics and Social Change
Research Areas
Sociology
Areas of Excellence
Growth in Asia
Publication
Journal of Intercultural Studies
Volume
45
Issue
2
First Page
292
Last Page
309
ISSN
0725-6868
Identifier
10.1080/07256868.2023.2236947
Publisher
Taylor & Francis (Routledge): SSH Titles
Citation
WONG, George.(2023). Integration taxes and gestural integration: Access and limits to integration through new citizens’ participation in state-sponsored grassroots volunteerism in Singapore. Journal of Intercultural Studies, 45(2), 292-309.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/4097
Copyright Owner and License
Authors
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1080/07256868.2023.2236947
Included in
Asian Studies Commons, Demography, Population, and Ecology Commons, Political Science Commons, Politics and Social Change Commons