Eating the other? East Asian Cultural Flows and Understandings of Chineseness in Singapore

Understanding East Asian cultural flows in Singapore hinges on a nuanced understanding of race and ethnicity in this island-state. Most critically, it hinges on understanding local distinctions of Chineseness. Singapore's unique history, as an ambiguously Asian nation and reluctant post-colonial state, shapes how categories of identity are defined, policed, and negotiated. Singapore's unique inception as a colony has caused discomfort and, simultaneously, a preoccupation with issues around cultural heritage. The multiracial migrant composition of Singapore's population has likewise contributed to a fascination with cultural background and a wariness of its communitarian potential. Race and ethnicity are very important to people in Singapore and simultaneously very sensitive matters.