Philanthropy is a phenomenon in which individuals belonging to the upper rung of a capitalist society, distribute their capital through donating funds, spending time doing volunteer work and etc. Philanthropy is often lauded as a way to alleviate social inequality and bring about positive changes. However, in The New Yorker article, "Would The World Be Better Off Without Philanthropists?", Nicholas Lemann presents an alternative perspective of theorist Saunders-Hastings. Contrary to the common discourse of philanthropy, Saunders argues that in actuality, philanthropy reinforces the symbolic boundaries between the upper and lower classes, and perpetuates the social hierarchy present in a capitalist society. Hence, this article can be analysed in accordance to Bourdieu's theory of symbolic violence, wherein class relations are the paradigm case of the operation of symbolic violence.

Click this link to read the rest of this article by Alexis Lim of 2022 Y3.

Click this link to read the original New Yorker article that inspired this response.

Non-discrimination and racial harmony are core to Singapore’s ideals. Yet every society grapples with discimination and bias, and Singapore too is an ordinary society susceptible to such ills. In the last few months, recent racist episodes in Singapore have surfaced on the internet and have sparked the attention of many Singaporeans. In May, a 55 year old Malay woman was physically assaulted and subjected to racial slurs by a Chinese man and in July, a video surfaced of a former polytechnic lecturer who made racist remarks towards an interracial couple (Tan). Indeed, reports of racist or religion-related incidents made to the authorities have risen from 18 in 2018 to 31 in 2019 and 60 last year (Paulo). This year, the pandemic has also exacerbated racial tensions and has led to prejudice against migrant workers and minority races. The increase in both subtle and overt racial discrimination serve as evidence of underlying, implicit racial biases within our society that need to be addressed.

Click this link to read the rest of this article by Emma of 2021 Y7.

Hawker centers are unique to Singaporean culture. Hawker centers throughout the country are largely similar in configuration, with a typical communal eating area and shops that sell local foods. These aspects of hawker culture are sustained through the daily eating habits of Singaporeans and the consistent way local foods are produced. Because of its affordability, it appeals to all Singaporeans of various social classes. Despite its recognition by the UNESCO’s international committee to inscribe hawker culture on its Intangible Heritage Lists, globalisation and its influence on the community of younger Singaporeans has hampered the sustainability of hawker culture in Singapore. Less and less young Singaporeans are willing to patronise hawker centers, instead opting to support artisanal cafes and restaurants. This is because globalisation has brought about the exposure of international cultures to the Singaporean youths who see new and foreign dishes on social media. Such interconnectivity between Singaporeans and the world had sensationalized gourmet foods, which many of these artisanal cafes specialise in. As a result, a disinterest in local foods seemed to have arisen amongst Singaporean youths, and less and less hawker shops were patronised amidst such times.

Click on this link to read the rest of this article by Delia of 2021 Y7.

The 4th E-International Humanities Symposium 2021 will be held on 16 Jul 2021.

Two of our SOTA Social and Cultural Anthropology (SCA) students, Delia Shamaney (Y7) and Subathra Bai (Y3), submitted presentations to the symposium. They can be found at this link: e-International Humanities Symposium.

"10 men taken to hospital after second lorry accident in four days" - Read the ST article in detail here. (Note: This PDF is for SOTA students only, please do not circulate. Other articles may also be accessed via the Student Portal > Library > Online Resources > Newspapers > NewsLink > Search for this article title.)

A response by Megan Lee (Y2/SL Social and Anthropology Student). Read more below.

6 students from SOTA alumni participated in IBO's focus-group discussion carried out recently (May 2021) to gain insights into students' experiences studying Social and Cultural Anthropology, in particular the new curriculum that was introduced in 2018.

"... I enjoyed the experience of talking with your former anthropology students a week ago. What a delightful, articulate group of young people. Thay had a great many interesting experiences and ideas to share, all of which will feed nicely into our curriculum review discussions" - IBO curriculum manager

Click here to read more.