Grants

Topic

Description

Singapore Pre-History and History

This topic invites proposals for research on Singapore Pre-History and History. Interested researchers should propose specific case studies that could include:

• Pre-historic Singapore (e.g. pre-historic archaeological materials in Singapore)
• Pre-colonial Singapore (e.g. impact of trade flows, religion, Western expansion in Southeast Asia, historical context behind Stamford Raffles’ 1819 arrival in Singapore)
• Colonial Singapore (e.g. Inter-ethnic interactions in commercial activities, shipping lines in Singapore, picture postcard producers, Empire Day and other colony-wide celebrations, river settlements in Singapore)
• World War II (e.g. larger narratives of World War II in Singapore, significance of the Malay Regiment, accounts by wartime survivors and prisoners of war)
• Post-independence Singapore (e.g. public housing, economic development, industrialisation, labour relations, visual culture, defence, diplomacy, socio-economic microhistories, public histories, roles of social and/or collective memory in the development of Singapore’s nation-building narratives)
• Singapore Identity and Culture (e.g. foodways, languages, HDB living, cultural diversity, tourism connections, urban studies, social value of museums)
• General museological studies (e.g. history of museums in Singapore, history of private Singapore art collections, development of the Raffles Library and Museum collections, development of the colonial museum network in Southeast Asia)

Please note that the above list is not exhaustive. Projects may utilise historical, archival and other relevant methodologies to explore the topic of Singapore History.

Intangible Cultural Heritage

This topic invites proposals for research related to the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of Singapore. Interested researchers should refer to the Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Singapore (https://roots.sg/learn/resources/ich), that could include:

• Oral Traditions and Expressions
• Performing Arts
• Social Practices, Rituals and Festive Events
• Knowledge and Practice concerning nature and the universe
• Traditional Craftsmanship
• Food Heritage

Researchers may propose research to demonstrate the value of intangible cultural heritage in Singapore’s context, or explore case studies that could deepen understanding of specific ICH practices in Singapore.

Tangible Heritage

This topic invites proposals for research on historic and heritage buildings, structures and sites. The proposal’s focus should be primarily on Singapore, although research on overseas tangible heritage could be considered if the research is able to link the research outcomes to Singapore.

Some potential case studies include:

• Cities/Urban studies (e.g. architectural history of Singapore, modern architectural heritage of Singapore)
• Recreation and entertainment heritage (e.g. history of amusement parks, cinemas and theatres in Singapore)
• Archaeological sites (e.g. archaeology methodology, archaeology ethics, archaeology mapping, pre-colonial archaeology, colonial archaeology, peoples’ archaeology, archiving and database management etc.)

Researchers are encouraged to adopt a cross-disciplinary approach for their proposed research. For example, researchers could explore the use of technology (e.g. digital data management, GIS Technology, aerial photography, etc) that supports the research objectives and enhances the quality of the research.

Ethnic Heritage

This topic invites research proposals that documents and examines the tangible and/or intangible cultural heritage of specific communities/sub-communities in Singapore. Interested researchers should propose specific case studies that could include:

• Mixed Communities (e.g. early development of mixed heritage communities in Southeast Asia like the Straits Chinese, Arab/Jawi/Chitty Peranakan communities, influence of intermarriage and the formation of trade alliances, history and development of related ethnic associations and societies)
• Impact of ethnic heritage on policy studies, communications, sociology, psychology, geography, political science, etc.

Please note that the above list is not exhaustive. Projects may utilise historical, archival and other relevant methodologies to explore the topic of Ethnic Heritage, or explore other case studies that could deepen understanding of ethnic heritage in Singapore.

Start of

Grant Call

Closing Date

for Application

Notification

of Results

Projects Starting

From

26 August 2019

7 October 2019

End November/Early December 2019

December 2019/January 2020