volume 7, 2008
folio is an annual collection of student essays written for modules offered in the University Scholars Programme's Writing and Critical Thinking Programme.
In this volume:
- "Upgrading Opportunities at Degree Level": Confucian and Capitalistic Influences in Singapore
“The Singapore government's hybrid Confucian-Capitalistic approach can ... be summed up as the appeal to self-interest in order to achieve compliance with government agendas that are formed on the assumption of a hierarchical relationship.” Yeung Kar Fu on Confucian desire, a knowledge-based economy, and university "products."
- The Spiritual Link: Waste and Recycling
“The seemingly antithetical practices of wasting and recycling are driven by man's desire to escape from the entrapment of the material world.” Tan Wanxin Gracia on landfills, Aztecs, and satiating hungry gods.
- Explaining the Instability of Power in The Truman Show
“Christof is ... by no means a possessor of absolute, god-like power. If he is a god, he is only a minor one.” Ng Si Ying Pamela on reality television, new kinds of celebrity, and the power play involved.
- Authentically Singaporean? The Appeal of Ubin, or Lack Thereof
“Ubin remains largely unvisited and relatively unpopular, compared to other heavily commodified Singaporean tourist spots such as Sentosa.” Joel Chow Ken Q on modernity, authenticity, and Pulau Ubin's apparent lack of tourist appeal.
- The Advantages of Making Exceptions: Why the State Triumphs in The Coffin Is Too Big for the Hole
“The grandson, as well as many other Singaporeans, accepts the government's argument that they must strictly regulate the nation's limited land resources in the name of national development.” Tan Wen Qi on concessions, public sentiment, and the cooptation of resistance.
- A Flicker of Rebellion
“This incredible transparency nips unorthodoxy in the bud, with the intention of preventing rather than later dealing with misconduct, thus allowing the authorities a tighter grip.” Tham Shu Ting on total visibility, young spies, and the Thought Police.
- What Liberal Media? A Foray into Journalistic Bias
“Journalists ... face the dilemma of whether or not to report the truth accurately, and risk their livelihood in the process by disobeying the orders of their corporate superiors.” Jayadev Ranjay on media corporations, dissent, and the profit motive.
- Money, Authenticity and the Durian: Reexamining the Mechanisms behind Local Responses to Commoditisation
“The case of the Esplanade reveals that even when there was a lack of an authentic state to begin with, Singaporeans' awareness of its economic relevance led to a sense of loss and unresolved longing for an imagined state of authenticity.” Yeo Hui Ling Alice on arts hubs, "imagined" notions of authenticity, and spiky domes.
- Contributors/Process Notes
“I am now intentionally applying the skills I have learnt to create a proper structure in all my academic essays. Taking the effort to identify complications and craft an explicit motive is now a constant part of all my writing” Writers and instructors reflect on the demands--and benefits--of writing carefully structured essays.
Editor: Johan Geertsema
Editorial board (2009): Don Favareau, Johan Geertsema, Michael Maiwald, Paul Nerney, John Richardson
Last updated: 6 November 2009