In Singapore, where binational marriages are on the rise, what cultural and policy adjustments must be made to balance openness with national interests?

People who are called “foreign talent” may sometimes have lived in Singapore for several decades — like one of our guests on this episode. On the cultural front, does the label “foreigner” still apply to these people? Is it possible to be from both Singapore and somewhere else? Where Singapore citizenship is concerned, the choice can be difficult as dual citizenship is not a possibility. For the children of binational couples, these questions of identity can be hard to grapple with.

In this episode, we discuss the various cultural and policy implications of binational marriages, and why this concerns Singaporeans, non-Singaporeans, and those that fall in between. IPS is conducting a study on binational couples where one partner is Singaporean. If you would like to know more, please contact Dr Kalpana Vignehsa at kalpana.vignehsa@nus.edu.sg

Find out more about marriage and migration in Singapore:
CNA (25 September 2019). Number of citizen marriages in Singapore lowest since 2013
CNA (15 January 2019). Transnational marriages are 'as resilient' as local marriages: MSF
Straits Times (11 July 2018). More mixed marriages registered in Singapore
Mothership (29 September 2016). 1 in 3 marriages these days between S'porean & foreigner

About our guests:

Dr Kalpana Vignehsa 

Research Fellow at the Governance and Economy Department at IPS

Dr Vignehsa received her PhD in Organisational Sociology from the University of Technology Sydney. Her current research portfolio focuses on immigration and integration in families and workplaces. Dr Vignehsa also has interests in the lived experiences of parenthood and behavioural interventions in healthcare and environmentalism.

Before joining IPS in 2020, Dr Vignehsa worked across public advocacy, academia, non-government work, and consulting. Most recently, she was Design Ethnographer at the Australian Consumer Association, where she led the social research programme within R&D.

Colin Miles

Co-CEO of Zilliqa Research Pte Ltd

Colin Miles has lived and worked in Singapore and Asia for three decades. He is the Co-CEO of Zilliqa Research, which operates the Singapore-founded Zilliqa public blockchain. He is also Chair Emeritus of MEF Asia, a mobile industry association and has been a member of the Rotary Club of Singapore for 25 years. 

Colin and his Singaporean wife received a Public Spiritedness Award from the Singapore Civil Defence Force for helping evacuate residents from a large fire in a nearby condominium. They have two sons in local schools; one has just completed his Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) and the youngest will be taking his in 2021.

Find out more about the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), a research centre of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. 

Follow IPS on Linkedin, Facebook and Instagram to keep updated on upcoming events and discussions. 

On Diversity is a podcast series of new insights and fresh discussions, inspired by IPS’ Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, IPS Deputy Director Ong Soh Chin chats with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. 

More from On Diversity: 

Episode 1: The Cancelled and the Woke, with career journalist Lydia Lim and poet and writer, Theophilus Kwek

Episode 2: Reclaiming Dementia, with Dr Chen Shiling, dementia physician, and Johnson Soh, founder of SanCare Asia

Episode 3: What is Multiculturalism?, with Low Sze Wee, CEO of Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre and singer-songwriter Jamiel Said 

Episode 4: Diversity and the Singapore Media, with Mark Tan, founder and CEO of Rice Media, and Dr Chew Han Ei, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Social Lab

Episode 5: Sex and People with Disabilities, with Dr Lohsnah Jeevanandam, Director of the Clinical Psychology Programme at the National University Singapore, and Dr Justin Lee, Senior Research Fellow at the IPS Society and Culture Department.

Episode 6: Arts vs Culture, with Shaza Ishak, Managing Director of Teater Ekamatra, and Clarissa Oon, Head of Communications and Content at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay.

Episode 7: Empathy and Healthcare, with Dr Mohan Tiru, Senior Consultant Emergency Physician at Woodlands Health Campus and Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, and Dr Maleena Suppiah Cavert Deputy Director of Clinical Education at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, NUHS

In Singapore, where binational marriages are on the rise, what cultural and policy adjustments must be made to balance openness with national interests?
People who are called &ldquo;foreign talent&rdquo; may sometimes have lived in Singapore for several decades &mdash; like one of our guests on this episode. On the cultural front, does the label &ldquo;foreigner&rdquo; still apply to these people? Is it possible to be from both Singapore and somewhere else? Where Singapore citizenship is concerned, the choice can be difficult as dual citizenship is not a possibility. For the children of binational couples, these questions of identity can be hard to grapple with.
In this episode, we discuss the various cultural and policy implications of binational marriages, and why this concerns Singaporeans, non-Singaporeans, and those that fall in between. IPS is conducting a study on binational couples where one partner is Singaporean. If you would like to know more, please contact Dr Kalpana Vignehsa at kalpana.vignehsa@nus.edu.sg
Find out more about marriage and migration in Singapore:
<ul>
<li>CNA (25 September 2019). <a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/number-marriages-singapore-population-birth-rate-11940734">Number of citizen marriages in Singapore lowest since 2013</a></li>
<li>CNA (15 January 2019). <a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/parliament/transnational-marriages-are-as-resilient-as-local-marriages-msf-11124604">Transnational marriages are 'as resilient' as local marriages: MSF</a></li>
<li>Straits Times (11 July 2018). <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/more-mixed-marriages-registered-last-year">More mixed marriages registered in Singapore</a></li>
<li>Mothership (29 September 2016). <a href="https://mothership.sg/2016/09/1-in-3-marriages-these-days-between-sporean-foreigner/">1 in 3 marriages these days between S'porean &amp; foreigner</a></li>
</ul>
About our guests:
Dr Kalpana Vignehsa 
Research Fellow at the Governance and Economy Department&nbsp;at IPS
Dr Vignehsa received her PhD in Organisational Sociology from the University of Technology Sydney. Her current research portfolio focuses on immigration and integration in families and workplaces. Dr Vignehsa also has interests in the lived experiences of parenthood and behavioural interventions in healthcare and environmentalism.
Before joining IPS in 2020, Dr Vignehsa worked across public advocacy, academia, non-government work, and consulting. Most recently, she was Design Ethnographer at the Australian Consumer Association, where she led the social research programme within R&amp;D.
Colin Miles
Co-CEO of Zilliqa Research Pte Ltd
Colin Miles has lived and worked in Singapore and Asia for three decades. He is the Co-CEO of Zilliqa Research, which operates the Singapore-founded Zilliqa public blockchain. He is also Chair Emeritus of MEF Asia, a mobile industry association and has been a member of the Rotary Club of Singapore for 25 years.&nbsp;
Colin and his Singaporean wife received a Public Spiritedness Award from the Singapore Civil Defence Force for helping evacuate residents from a large fire in a nearby condominium. They have two sons in local schools; one has just completed his Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) and the youngest will be taking his in 2021.
Find out more about the&nbsp;<a href="https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/ips">Institute of Policy Studies (IPS)</a>, a research centre of the&nbsp;<a href="https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/">Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy</a>.&nbsp;
Follow IPS on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/institute-of-policy-studies-lee-kuan-yew-school-of-public-policy/%22%20/%22%20/">Linkedin</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=136982159795537&amp;ref=br_rs">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/ips_sg/">Instagram</a>&nbsp;to keep updated on upcoming events and discussions.&nbsp;
On Diversity is a podcast series of new insights and fresh discussions, inspired by IPS&rsquo; Managing Diversities research&nbsp;programme. In each episode, IPS Deputy Director Ong Soh Chin chats with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making, and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society.&nbsp;
More from On Diversity:&nbsp;
Episode 1: The Cancelled and the Woke, with career journalist Lydia Lim and poet and writer, Theophilus Kwek
Episode 2: Reclaiming Dementia, with Dr Chen&nbsp;Shiling, dementia physician, and Johnson Soh, founder of&nbsp;SanCare&nbsp;Asia
Episode 3: What is Multiculturalism?, with&nbsp;Low Sze Wee, CEO of Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre and singer-songwriter Jamiel Said&nbsp;
Episode 4: Diversity and the Singapore Media, with Mark Tan, founder and CEO of Rice Media, and Dr Chew Han Ei, Senior Research Fellow at IPS Social Lab
Episode 5: Sex and People with Disabilities, with Dr Lohsnah Jeevanandam, Director of the Clinical Psychology Programme at the National University Singapore, and Dr Justin Lee, Senior Research Fellow at the IPS Society and Culture Department.
Episode 6: Arts vs Culture, with Shaza Ishak, Managing Director of Teater Ekamatra, and Clarissa Oon, Head of Communications and Content at Esplanade &ndash; Theatres on the Bay.
Episode 7: Empathy and Healthcare, with Dr Mohan Tiru, Senior Consultant Emergency Physician at Woodlands Health Campus and Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, and Dr Maleena Suppiah Cavert Deputy Director of Clinical Education at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, NUHS

"On Diversity" is a podcast series of new insights and fresh discussions, inspired by IPS’ Managing Diversities research programme.

In each episode, IPS Associate Director Liang Kaixin will chat with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society.

On Diversity features new episodes every week.

"On Diversity" is a podcast series of new insights and fresh discussions, inspired by IPS’ Managing Diversities research programme.
In each episode, IPS Associate Director Liang Kaixin will chat with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society.
On Diversity features new episodes every week.

IPS On Diversity Podcast

"On Diversity" is a podcast series of new insights and fresh discussions, inspired by IPS’ Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, IPS Associate Director Liang Kaixin will chat with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. On Diversity features new episodes every week.

"On Diversity" is a podcast series of new insights and fresh discussions, inspired by IPS’ Managing Diversities research programme. In each episode, IPS Associate Director Liang Kaixin will chat with guests to explore what diversity means to them, the changes they are making and the changes they hope to see in an increasingly fragmented society. On Diversity features new episodes every week.

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