Reimagining Singapore's history : essays on pre-colonial roots and modern identity / edited by Matthew Oey.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Oey, Matthew, editor.

Penguin Random House SEA Pte. Ltd., publisher.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Singapore--History.

Singapore.

Genre:

Essays.

Physical Description:

l, 269 pages 22 cm

Place of Publication:

Singapore : Penguin Random House SEA, 2025.

Language Note:

In English.

Summary:

"What is history? How is it made? And why does it matter? Reimagining Singapore's History brings together leading historians to discuss these questions within the context of the decades-long project to rediscover pre-colonial Singapore. 2019 was a milestone in Singapore's history as it marked the 200th anniversary of Stamford Raffles' landing in 1819. However, in a powerful turn of events, government-sponsored celebrations used the occasion to highlight Singapore's longer pre-colonial story, in the process officially pushing back the modern country's origins to the 14th-century trading post of Temasek. Contrary to popular belief, Singapore was not a forgotten land between Temasek and Raffles; it remained a rich crossroads of trade, culture, religion, and merchant empires (both Asian and European). The discovery of this pre-1819 period has led to Singapore's 'new history', also known as its '700-year narrative'. While this narrative has long been common knowledge among academics, it was only in the past decade that it began to make its way into the public consciousness. Why and how did these changes come about? Where did they come from? Why did it take so long to bridge academic and public knowledge? And what is pre-colonial Singapore's relevance for us in the 21st century? Surveying topics from archaeology to post-colonial theory, this essay collection explores the above questions and introduces the sources, discoveries, and ideas that led to the literal re-writing of Singapore's official historical narratives over the past decades"--Provided by publisher.

Contents:

The dialogue between past and present in the reimagining of pre-colonial Singapore / Matthew Oey

Sources for the study of Singapore before 1800 / Peter Borschberg

Archaeology in the writing of Singapore's history / Kwa Chong Guan

Confronting the Singapore story, colonial rule and the power of history-making / Christopher Hale

Marginal notes to a treaty, the quibble of the Malay princes / Benjamin J.Q. Khoo

Raffles and the coloniality of history / Syed Farid Alatas

The myth and the man, bringing Singapore's history out of Stamford Raffles' shadow / Tim Hannigan

Sultan Ali's reign and the impact of the 1855 Treaty, a reassessment / Mohamed Effendy

Colonialism, the historical construction of "Tanah Melayu" and its significance to Malaysia's and Singapore's national narratives / Wilbert W.W. Wong

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 235-263)

ISBN:

9789815323757

981532375X

OCLC:

1522990931