Citizen Historian posts a series of proposals for a fictional documentary about the history of Singapore – part of an academic exercise for NUS’ Singapore Studies History Class. Undergraduates taking the course are posed this question:

The aim of this assignment is to think about the possibilities of how the history of Singapore can be told, and decide on a storyline for Singapore’s history which you think is most appropriate.

You are a student of Singapore history. A foreign television producer from The History Channel contacts you and says that she is making a documentary
on Singapore’s history, and would like your advice on how to approach the subject in a meaningful and interesting way.

Write an essay of 800-1000 words, explaining your proposal for the documentary. What would be the main plot of the script? Which time periods, events, individuals, themes, issues etc. would you choose to highlight? Explain the reasoning behind your choices.

Here’s a proposal by Inoue Ikuyo:

The history of Singapore has always been a controversial issue among academics and politicians alike, as various questions inevitably arise regarding the content, viewpoints and themes of a history of Singapore. When should Singapore’s history start – the fourteenth century or 1819? Should we write Singapore’s history as viewed by the Europeans or the locals?

The overall concept of the documentary is an attempt to portray the history of Singapore with the locals taking centre-stage, and their contributions – instead of the colonial powers’ – highlighted as the main driving force of Singapore through its evolution from a coastal port city into a global city state.

Read more at Citizen Historian.

Tags: Singapore history