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Students from China feel alienated by Singaporeans, says scholar
Chinese students studying here feel that they are alienated by Singaporeans and respond to perceived arrogance by reacting in kind, said Oxford doctoral student and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) graduate Yang Peidong.
Mr Yang, 26, presented his ethnography study yesterday to a group of some 50 Singaporean and Chinese students and professors at the East Asian Institute in the National University of Singapore.
Between August and December last year, he interviewed 30 scholarship-holders between the ages of 18 to 22 from six faculties from a university in western Singapore. The faculties included bioscience and electrical and electronic engineering.
Mr Yang gave the example of how his interviewees said they feel "ill at ease" with the use of Singlish - the lingua franca Singaporeans use - as the former are only familiar with the English used in textbooks, such as British or American English.
"Their inability to effectively participate in communication (in Singlish) still isolates them," he noted.
Hence, they "resist or protest against this oppression" by developing coping mechanisms, such as a sense of superiority.
"When they perceive themselves as on the receiving end of snobbery or contempt from Singaporeans because of their unfashionable sense of dress or roughness of manners, they are equally quick to return snobbery and contempt by belittling Singapore and its culture," he reasoned.
His research also found that many were bewildered by the things Singaporeans engage in, such as orientation activities, which they view as silly and unsophisticated. They also perceive Singaporeans as lacking in intellectual depth, such that they are unable to engage in meaningful discussions.
Mr Yang graduated from NTU in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in maritime studies.
He won a Nippon Foundation Fellowship to study for a master of philosophy degree in social sciences at Cardiff University. He lived in Singapore for seven years and is now in Oxford pursuing a PhD in education.
His study comes amid rising tension between Chinese and Singaporeans.
In February, a Chinese scholar, Mr Sun Xu, 25, caused a furore after he commented on his blog hat there were more "dogs than humans" in Singapore.
Mr Yang's presentation led to a heated debate among audience members, who questioned whether the study was representative of the views of the students from China here. He replied that his ethnography research is not meant for a general study, but seeks to look into specific cases.
Mr Yang told reporters he wanted to explore what might have caused Chinese students to "harbour uncharitable thoughts" which could lead to, for instance, Mr Sun's "indiscreet remarks". While tensions between the groups were "not that serious", both could be more "open-minded towards other cultures", he said.
He added: "Chinese education has this nationalistic undertone sometimes. Chinese students need to know more about Singapore's history and culture and the experiences of Singapore students."
Students from China feel alienated by Singaporeans, says scholar
Chinese students studying here feel that they are alienated by Singaporeans and respond to perceived arrogance by reacting in kind, said Oxford doctoral student and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) graduate Yang Peidong.
Mr Yang, 26, presented his ethnography study yesterday to a group of some 50 Singaporean and Chinese students and professors at the East Asian Institute in the National University of Singapore.
Between August and December last year, he interviewed 30 scholarship-holders between the ages of 18 to 22 from six faculties from a university in western Singapore. The faculties included bioscience and electrical and electronic engineering.
Mr Yang gave the example of how his interviewees said they feel "ill at ease" with the use of Singlish - the lingua franca Singaporeans use - as the former are only familiar with the English used in textbooks, such as British or American English.
"Their inability to effectively participate in communication (in Singlish) still isolates them," he noted.
Hence, they "resist or protest against this oppression" by developing coping mechanisms, such as a sense of superiority.
"When they perceive themselves as on the receiving end of snobbery or contempt from Singaporeans because of their unfashionable sense of dress or roughness of manners, they are equally quick to return snobbery and contempt by belittling Singapore and its culture," he reasoned.
His research also found that many were bewildered by the things Singaporeans engage in, such as orientation activities, which they view as silly and unsophisticated. They also perceive Singaporeans as lacking in intellectual depth, such that they are unable to engage in meaningful discussions.
Mr Yang graduated from NTU in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in maritime studies.
He won a Nippon Foundation Fellowship to study for a master of philosophy degree in social sciences at Cardiff University. He lived in Singapore for seven years and is now in Oxford pursuing a PhD in education.
His study comes amid rising tension between Chinese and Singaporeans.
In February, a Chinese scholar, Mr Sun Xu, 25, caused a furore after he commented on his blog hat there were more "dogs than humans" in Singapore.
Mr Yang's presentation led to a heated debate among audience members, who questioned whether the study was representative of the views of the students from China here. He replied that his ethnography research is not meant for a general study, but seeks to look into specific cases.
Mr Yang told reporters he wanted to explore what might have caused Chinese students to "harbour uncharitable thoughts" which could lead to, for instance, Mr Sun's "indiscreet remarks". While tensions between the groups were "not that serious", both could be more "open-minded towards other cultures", he said.
He added: "Chinese education has this nationalistic undertone sometimes. Chinese students need to know more about Singapore's history and culture and the experiences of Singapore students."
Students from China feel alienated by Singaporeans, says scholar
