Taught by: Dr Quek Ser Hwee
Name: Pei Chong (@pc0230)
Content (Structure/Organization): 4
The course is an overview of the history of modern Singapore and focusus on different facets of nationhood. It focuses largely on the time periods of the Japanese Occupation, Merger & Separation of Malaysia, and post-independence Singapore. After the topic on Merger & Separation, the course becomes more thematic. Each week will touch on a different aspect of Singapore - the economy, housing, education, race and religion, gender, and defence & diplomacy.
The course topics go much deeper than your traditional social studies syllabi. You are expected to critically engage with the assigned readings and sources for assignments, highlighting their biases and underlying ideological assumptions/motivations. The readings are a good selection of writings from different disciplines - sociology, political science, gender studies, history, geography, political economy, and journalism.
Class discussions are more structured than your average NUSC class, but it is understandable given the amount of content that is delievered in each class. The class is a lecture-tutorial system. During tutorials, Prof Quek also opens up questions to the class to discuss so the lessons aren't dry (at least to me, as a student interested in Singaporean society and politics)
Manageability of Workload: 1
Very very heavy. There are 4x 15% response papers (1500 words), 1x 10% class presentation, 1x 25% final paper (2800 words). I spent more time on this mod than most of my major (political science, philosophy, economics) classes.
Readings - there are far too many to complete. If you dont have the time to finish them all, you could listen in class and read the ones you're interested in (and of course the one you have to present). The good thing is that the readings are not tested for the assignments, but I think she curates a pretty good list nonetheless.
There are 5 essay assignments for this course - 4x 1.5k response papers, and 1x 2.5k paper that synthesizes the content from five local films. The response papers are gruelling to get through if you hate writing. Each response paper is an critical repsonse to three distinct sources (usually one from the government and one critical commentary of that issue, either in media or academia). I think that for the response papers, Prof Quek looks out for insightful and interesting observations and arguments, so one should focus on that.
Each student is also expected to present an analysis of an assigned reading. This will tkae up quite some time to properly analyze the source (and you're presenting alone for almost an hour, but prof quek often interjects to add more context)
Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades:
It is possible to get consistent A/A-s for the assignments, but it will take up a significant amount of time across the semester. I do not recommend overloading with this course. After a while, you will get used to the response papers. I think that if you stay engaged with Singaporean issues and try to understand both the class content and synthesize it with the contemporary problems, coming up with an insightful response will be much easier. That being said, the grading is fair but not lenient.
Learning Value/Recommendation: 4
I think there is a lot of learning value as it helps to deconstruct many historical and national narratives. I went in with the intent to learn more about Singaporean history, and I definitely feel more confident in discussing Singaporean issues in their various societal, economic, and historical contexts.
About the Instructor:
She's a very knowledgeable prof who has been teaching Singaporean history for a long long time. As a result, she can easily connect current affairs with the historical circumstances leading up to it. She occasionally drops a lot of tea - about Singapore politics, history, and squabbles between academics, so that can be quite fun.
She's very understanding towards students for extending deadlines, but don't expect the assignments to be made more lenient (we tried asking for a few films to be cut out of the final assignment, but we were unsuccessful lol)
Additional Comments/Word of Advice:
Try not to overload, try not to be overwhelmed. All the best!
Name: Fang Yiyang (@fangyiyang)
Content (Structure/Organization): 4
Syllabus document was not released until way after the semester began, but the general structure is that of a standard social science/humanities course - a different theme each week (e.g. economic development, housing, gender, security...). Assignments were evenly spread out (one essay every two weeks for four essays in total, then a fifth final paper in reading week)
Accessibility and Assessment: 4
Accessible to both Singaporean and non-Singaporean students. Dr Quek makes an effort to explain well-known local jargon/concepts/events to foreign students. Singaporean students are also likely to learn things and perspectives not covered in conventional high school classes on Singapore. Assignments are also not contingent on background knowledge (the four essays require a close comparison of two readings, with no further research expected).
Manageability of Workload: 3
Higher than other NHS courses; I'd peg it as about the same workload as a level 3000 or even level 4000 social science/humanities course. Two readings per week which is manageable, but they are not really required for the assignments so if you skip some it's fine. Dr Quek also does not always have the time to go through both readings anyway.
The difficulty comes with the biweekly essays - four essays every two weeks, each requiring another two readings on top of the existing course content. Plan your time well.
The fifth paper is a film review of 5 films (though the last film is an anthology of 7 films so strictly speaking that's 11 separate titles in total). She shows some of the films in class but it's honestly a silly idea to assign so many films for a film review. It takes too much time to re-watch key segments, extract quotes etc.
Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades:
Possible but be prepared to put in effort. People do actually get consistent As. But your essays have to be clear and analytical. Show a good understanding of the readings and ability to think critically.
Learning Value/Recommendation: 4
Content is useful. Even if you are familiar with the basic historical events and issues in Singapore, the readings are helpful to think about Singapore more academically and analytically. But if you do all the readings there's not much value to attending class. The lecture might still be useful because it contains some new content, but the tutorials are just her narrating the readings page by page - so if you have read the readings and understood them there's nothing new.
About the Instructor:
Knowledgeable, lecturing is largely effective. She gives good anecdotes. For both lecture and tutorial she mostly just talks, and only initiates discussion now and then. But if you want more engagement, just put your foot in and she should be willing to entertain questions and discussions.
Additional Comments/Word of Advice:
This course is suitable for students who are willing to invest the time and effort to learn more about Singapore, particularly from a more analytical perspective. It is not an intro to Singapore history course where you just have to familiarise yourself with key events.
Content (Structure/Organization): 4
A full syllabus was not provided upfront (If I remember correctly it was released in two parts for two halves of the semester) but if you've taken Social Studies or a Singapore studies module before the structure/organisation of topics is quite typical.
Accessibility and Assessment: 3
If you're a Singaporean or have taken Singapore studies classes before the content itself should be pretty easy to grasp. I would say that some of the ideas covered stray from orthodox classes on the same matter, since Dr Quek prides herself in enlightening students on the lesser known, perhaps more 'censored' aspects of Singapore history and society. If you're a foreigner or foreign to Singapore studies, Dr Quek takes great care in explaining even the most basic stuff, so the course is pretty accessible.
Manageability of Workload: 3
You'll have to submit 5 essays (4 with a 1.5-2k word limit, done throughout the sem and a 5th one with a 2.5-3k word limit, done at the end of the sem) and conduct a presentation. Can be hard to keep up with the essays alongside the other things you'll have to work on in the semester, especially if you don't have much experience writing essays.
Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades:
Dr Quek is a notoriously stingy marker ("A+ if she thinks you're better than her, A if she thinks you're as good"). Heard plenty of stories of people getting consistent A-'s for their essays only to be slapped with a B or B+ at the end. Her standards for essays can be high but if you pay attention to what she harps on/repeats in lessons you can distill which nuances matter most to her (i.e. looking at provenances, considering contextual circumstances in which an article was written, thinking of 'alternative histories' or 'viewpoints').
Learning Value/Recommendation: 4
I took this to fulfil a USP/NUSC requirement, as I assume most people do when they choose this course. Tread carefully though, if grades are important to you.
About the Instructor:
Super knowledgeable and promotes class discussion. She can tend to have quite cynical takes but is eager to listen to student perspectives and opinions.
Content (Structure/Organization): 5
Course is distinctly split into five segments all relating to Singapore: nationalism, economics, housing, education, and films. Every week you get two readings, one from a local writer and one from an international writer that present juxtaposing opinions on the topic of the week. Students are expected to read these before class and be ready for discussion; during class Dr Quek goes through the main points of the readings. In a week there are two classes - first class is a typical lecture, second class is discussion. Structure-wise it's very cyclical, but what you get out of the discussions depends on what questions you bring up and how much you contribute.
Accessibility and Assessment: 3
Would be more difficult to STEM students/those not familiar with writing essays, especially as when each topic is wrapped up, Dr Quek gives 1-2 more readings from which to base a 1.5k word essay. If you are unfamiliar with quickly reading humanities essays and picking out points to weave into your own arguments, it may be more difficult. Topic-wise, the content itself is quite manageable and simple to understand.
Manageability of Workload: 3
There are a total of 5 essays for this course, and you have two weeks from assignment to submission. Essays 1 to 4 have a word count between 1.3k and 1.5k words, while the 5th essay has a 3k word count. Not impossible, but you have to play it smart.
Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades:
I got A/A+ for my essays, but to caveat that I'm familiar with and interested in the subject topic, took the class specifically because I enjoy Dr Quek's teaching and used this class to follow-up on a different class I took under her (NHS2055 "Curating" Singapore: Museums, Spaces, and Heritage, also taught by Siang). My point is that it is definitely possible to do well in this course if you have interest and your essay-writing skills have a strong foundation.
On a side note, if you're interested in/enjoyed NHS2055, then this course is a very natural continuation/partner to it.
Learning Value/Recommendation: 5
I went in with a specific goal and definitely felt like I got it. Learning about Singapore's "untold" and purposely-obstructed history and roots was extremely interesting, especially as the choice of readings and materials were very purposeful. If you are at all interested in history, means of nationbuilding (creating a "common identity" around which a nation can rally around, despite not having a naturally-occurring "common thread"), and approaching a subject matter through different lenses of perception, this is a good class to take. Extra points if you take it during an election year because Dr Quek has very strong opinions haha.
If you don't like Singapore, that's okay, because the Singapore you learn about in this course is not the usual version of SG that usually gets toted around.
About the Instructor:
Dr Quek is extremely knowledgeable and willing to let students pick her brain. During lecture-style lessons, she has slides that she releases beforehand, so you can take notes on your own copy of the slides. For discussion sessions, she guides students to key parts of the reading and opens the floor for students to contribute and further dig into the topic. Catching her after class ends for further discussion is both helpful for the topic academically and interesting personally, as she has a lot of academic connections and stories that are fun to listen to.
Additional Comments/Word of Advice:
The five essays are an insane test of stamina. Pace yourself with the reading, planning, and writing, because there is barely a break between essay assigning and submitting. Other than that, contribute actively and you'll discover that Dr Quek has a lot more to offer once you take initiative!
Content (Structure/Organization): 4
The syllabus of NHS2030 is organised by subject matter. The first half is an overview of Singapore's history from pre-independence to present day. The second-half explores different topics: Economy, Housing, Race, Education, Gender, Foreign Policy, Defence.
It was difficult (for me) to discern the learning outcomes of the course.
Accessibility and Assessment: 3
My perception from in-class discussions is that the prof will accomodate students from STEM backgrounds.
There are 5 assignments which involve two 20-30 page readings, where you compare and contrast according to the given theme in 1,500 words. I found it difficult as a humanities student. Hence, STEM students may experience a steep learning curve with the amount of reading and writing required.
The professor introduces the concepts in an engaging manner.
Manageability of Workload: 1
The content and subject matter is interesting, but the assignment structure is intense. I took the course without overloading, however I still felt quite exhausted at the end. Given that there is one 1.5k essay due every two weeks, there were three-week chunks where I had 9 essays/projects due in total. The course is a marathon rather than a sprint.
The readings were interesting, however, Prof has an equally interesting requirement that we do not draw from the readings in our assignments. Hence, I gave up on them halfway.
Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades
I was stuck at B+ for all five essays. I made repeated attempts to consult the prof on how to improve, unfortunately, her comments were not really instructive. There's a running joke that if you get A- she thinks that you're as good as her.
To get a decent grade (e.g. B+) I emphasised on my clarity of writing and willingness to grapple with complex ideas. Prof may evaluate each paper differently though.
As a philosophy student I found the prof harsh; perhaps, there may be history students who have an easier time.
Learning Value/Recommendation: 2
I appreciate content and subject matter; many people can make claims that Singapore is materialistic, competitive, and paternalistic, but few can substantiate it across different subject matters.
I personally feel like I would learn more reading a book at my own pace outside of the semester.
The course taught me procrastination is a valuable skill that preserves my mental health. Why spend one week on essay, when you can spend one day and get the same grade? ٩(◕‿◕｡)۶
About the Instructor:
Prof has a background in American history. She's fairly knowledgeable in the sense of having lived through Singaporean history as an academic-- hence she has what I call 'academic street cred'; she will make random comments about the writers of our readings, and gossip a little about her own investigations into the topics.
Lectures and seminars are interesting, but class discussion was limited.
Additional Comments/Word of Advice:
If you're still considering the course at the end of this review, I admire your tenacity and/or masochism. Make sure to discuss your frustrations with coursemates, to avoid feeling like you're the only person struggling through it.
Oh and look out for Prof Quek, she has some difficulty walking.
Content (Structure/Organization): -
4 1.5k essays solely based on a couple of sources
1 2.8k essay on watching some local films
lectures were content, tutorial groups were discussion and presentation on readings
Accessibility and Assessment: 3
A history/Social studies like module so pretty accessible
Manageability of Workload: 2
gets heavy in the second half, be prepared
Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades:
Prof is ambiguous with marking
Presence of Technical Learning:
honestly, nothing new unless you have not been in Singapore before
Learning Value/Recommendation: 1
don't take this module unless you want to
1.waste your time
2.recap your previously learned knowledge of Singapore
About the Instructor:
had problems with zoom,seems to regurgitate module from previous years
Name: Ng Jia Yeong (@jy_jaywhy)
Content (Structure/Organization):
Very structured. Prof lists down all the topics and readings she intends to cover in all 13 weeks and mostly follows through with all of them.
Accessibility: 5
I would say for most people it's quite accessible, especially if you've lived in Singapore for a while. Prof Quek covers a broad range of topics about Singapore and most of us would've been exposed to these topics one time or another. The only part I found slightly challenging was the first part on the history of Singapore which talked about common themes in 'the Singapore story' or Singapore's narration of its past; as an international student I didn't get some of the references but for the most part it's okay.
Manageability of Workload: 2
High. Quek sets her legendary five (5) essays, plus semi-compulsory weekly readings. Granted, the essays are quite short (four 1.5k, one 2.5k) so it's not as bad as one might expect. Re her readings: strictly speaking, not compulsory unless you're presenting for that week, but you learn a lot about Singapore through the readings so they provide a lot of learning value.
If there's one thing you have to know about this module, it's the five essays. In total they add up to A LOT of work over the semester so be prepared to grind every two weeks if you want to be serious about this mod, or take it together with chiller mods from elsewhere.
Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades:
I think for individual essays it's not particularly hard to get a good grade? Especially since you get more experience as you write more essays, plus you get to read her comments and ask her for feedback. But the individual essay grades don't necessarily translate into the final grade in a straightforward way (like my case) so honestly my best guess was that the last essay didn't perform as well as my previous ones which pulled down my grade for the mod. At any rate you can always try to do well for your individual essays, but it might be a good idea to set lower expectations for yourself when receiving your final grade. I personally felt a little cheated grades wise :")
Learning Value/Recommendation: 5
I learnt a lot about Singapore in this module! The workload like I said was very heavy but it's actually worth the time (if you can put in the time lol) because you get to examine Singapore's environment, government and society through a critical lens which provided me a very different perspective of the country and nation. No regrets taking this mod even if I didn't do as well as I would've wanted and spent so so so many hours doing readings and essays.
About the Instructor:
Prof Quek is quite famous in USP for being knowledgeable about Singapore and its history I think? She used to be a History professor in NUS before teaching in USP and she's quite well-connected to the world of academia in the field. Beyond just content in the lecture or readings, she sometimes talks about how it's like to work in the field of History and politics in the context of Singapore and her comments are really insightful. It pays to listen in class for the occasional tea.
Additional Comments/Word of Advice:
In a nutshell, insane workload but the learning/workload ratio is good. Take this mod if you can spare the time (or grades) or want to study Singapore from a different perspective.
Name: Choo Ruizhong (@C_Ruiz)
Content (Structure/Organization): -
Professor Quek has specific themes that she goes through each week, and assigns readings accordingly. For tutorials, students are assigned one reading to present on, and she chimes in with an insight or comment every now and then. The kicker for Making of a Nation are the FIVE essays you need to write, with the first four 1500 words, and the last 2500 words. This may sound intimidating, but these are all response essays either to readings or films. If your writing is good, I don't see why this should be any impediment to taking the module.
Accessibility and Assessment: 5
This module is very accessible, especially if you are a Singaporean student. Professor Quek simply adds layers to the known narrative, and goes on tangents you were not even aware of. You are not expected to have a huge depth of prior knowledge, although that would definitely help contextualize some of the events she goes through. In fact, our last assignment specifically asked you to imagine yourself without any prior knowledge, and to then write a film response paper. Perhaps its because I'm a History major, but there is nothing fundamentally difficult about any of the content she introduces.
Manageability of Workload: 3
I did this module in a 28 MC semester. I speak as a History major, where essay writing is like my water and bread, so infer what you will. Making of a Nation's essays are about 8500 words in total, not including drafts and restarts. In total, you'll likely spend around 20 hours writing essays, or about 4 hours for each paper. More, if you want to make them good.
It is not a light module to take, but it is not all that difficult either. If you're an engineer or science student and you want to live up to the stereotype, sure, this is a high workload. However, if you think this price to pay for one of the best learning experiences is worth it, then I highly encourage you to take this module.
Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades:
Professor Quek's grading is harsh, I have to admit. I did a 3k History module at the same time as Making of a Nation, and had an easier time in terms of grading. I received an overall A- for the module, and I take that as a compliment.
Professor Quek is a stingy marker. Seniors have said that if she gives you an A, she thinks you're just as good as her. An A+ suggests she thinks you're better than her. If you think that's a possible mark to achieve, congratulations; I wish I could boast of such a level of misguided arrogance. Consider her decades of top-tier academic work, writing and research. If that's the grading rubric she relies on, I won't be all that surprised if an A is all but impossible in this module.
Presence of Technical Learning:
Writing, close reading and analysis are the key skills you will pick up from this module. This is in addition to a deep dive into Singapore's history that most students will be unlikely to have on their own, because Professor Quek has such a wealth of experience and knowledge. Someone has written that this module has no learning value; that person probably does not write all that well or has little appreciation for the rich, if brief, history of Singapore. I guess if you're looking for technical skills you won't find it in this module. But like good character or empathy, the ability to pick these soft skills up suggest more of the student than it does the teacher.
Learning Value/Recommendation: 5
As a History major, this module helped to hone my writing and critical thinking skills. I was fortunate enough to have my other History modules also be about Singapore at the time, so it was even more useful. If anything, as a Singaporean, this module was a must-have to properly understand what our nation's history is really about. It forced me to critically examine everything from racial categorization to the construction of the Singapore Story.
About the Instructor:
Strict grading aside, Professor Quek is easily of of the best in terms of knowledge and engagement. From dropping sly digs at the historians who wrote the readings (because she has been in academia so long she knows many of them on a personal and professional basis) to critically examining quotes by politicians, you would be hard-pressed to leave a Making of a Nation class having learnt nothing. Hard, but according to some people who wrote reviews, not impossible, because a mind too small for doubt is blessed indeed.
Her classes are monologues in the best way possible; like the greatest TED talk about Singapore's history that runs for 13 weeks. Her essays are assigned at the end of a theme, and the readings make it clear what those themes are. She is very open to consults, and in fact insists upon face-to-face meetings. One thing to note is that her technical skills are limited, but they add to her charm as an experienced hand in History.
Name: Zachary Wong Jiann Tsong (@jiacurry)
Content (Structure/Organization): -
Quite high workload in terms of assignments but readings are optional (unless you are presenting/commenting)
Accessibility: -
Manageability of Workload: 3
you will feel like dying when you start writing 5 essays because depending on how she spreads it out, it may even be once a week. But readings are optional so that is nice.
Learning Value/Recommendation: 5
About the Instructor:
She is gr8, would take her other mod (situating singapore) very interesting and blunt about political realities.
Additional Comments/Word of Advice:
It is a great mod if you are interested in Singapore's domestic policies. I recommend her companion mod situating singapore as well to learn more about foreign policy.