Asian Studies Commons^™

Income And Subjective Well-Being: Evidence From Singapore's First National Non-Contributory Pension, Yanying Chen, Yi Jin Tan

Research Collection School Of Economics

We use a new monthly panel and a difference-in-differences strategy to study the effects of an exogenous permanent income shock on subjective well-being along previously unexplored dimensions. This permanent income shock is the introduction of Singapore’s first national non-contributory pension, the Silver Support Scheme. The pension improved the life satisfaction of recipients, and appeared to be driven by social, household income, and economic satisfaction. Consistent with the predictions of standard consumption-savings models, well-being improved when the shock was unanticipated (at announcement), but did not improve significantly further when the shock was anticipated (at disbursement). In addition, we find evidence that …

Contesting Access To Power In Urban Pakistan, Ijlal Naqvi

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Studies of informal housing and urban citizenship in South Asia frequently link the precariousness of squatter life with the struggle to formalize engagement with the state. However, this article argues that the transition to a more formal mode of making claims on the state is a shift in terrain that is no less negotiated and contested. Through an ethnography of access to electrical power in Islamabad, Pakistan, this article explores the pervasiveness of informality in access to service delivery for a squatter settlement and its bourgeois neighbors. The politics of access to urban infrastructure reveal a state of pervasive predation …

Understanding The Effects Of Taxi Ride-Sharing: A Case Study Of Singapore, Yazhe Wang, Baihua Zheng, Ee Peng Lim

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

This paper studies the effects of ride-sharing among those calling on taxis in Singapore for similar origin and destination pairs at nearly the same time of day. It proposes a simple yet practical framework for taxi ride-sharing and scheduling, to reduce waiting times and travel times during peak demand periods. The solution method helps taxi users save money while helping taxi drivers serve multiple requests per day, thus increasing their earnings. A comprehensive simulation study is conducted, based on real taxi booking data for the city of Singapore, to evaluate the effect of various factors of the ride-sharing practice, e.g., …

Unpacking Public Sentiment Toward The Government: How Citizens’ Perceptions Of Government Communication Strategies Impact Public Engagement, Cynicism, And Communication Behaviors In South Korea, Soojin Kim, Arunima Krishna

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

In this study, we explore the relationship between two types of public sentiment toward the government (i.e., public engagement and cynicism) on publics’ information transmission behaviors, i.e., megaphoning, about the government. In doing so, we unpack how citizens’ perceptions of the communication strategy adopted by the government, as well perceived authenticity of the government’s communication impact their sentiments toward the government. An online survey was conducted in South Korea (N = 1112) to understand these relationships. The results revealed that perceived use of bridging strategy by the government is associated with public engagement, and perceived use of the buffering strategy …

Singapore Income Taxation, Vincent Ooi, Irving Aw, Joanna Yap

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

28.1.1 Section 10(1) of the Income Tax Act (Cap. 134, 2014 Rev. Ed.) (“ITA”) is the charging provision which provides for income tax to be payable for each year of assessment (“YA”) upon the income of any person. Income is taxable if it falls within one of the enumerated heads of charge under sections 10(1)(a) to (g).Income is taxable only if it is sourced in Singapore, i.e. accruing in or derived from Singapore, or received in Singapore from outside Singapore, subject to variations.Only revenue (and not capital) receipts are taxable, and only revenue (and not capital) expenses are deductible for …

Building A Smart Nation: Singapore’S Digital Journey, Siu Loon Hoe

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The journey towards smart city status is a strong global trend as governments around the world strive to harness technology to improve the quality of life for their citizens (United Nations, 2016). The widespread phenomenon of becoming “smart” is a key topic of discussion and research that continues to change as new digital technologies develop (Ishkineeva et al., 2015). The smart cities theme is important because it explores how governments, as providers of public goods, harness digital technologies to improve the lives of citizens around the world in the present and the future.

Domestic Workers In Hong Kong: Their Stories, Self-Perception, And Their Portrayal In Hong Kong And Filipino Media, Lauren Ernst

Senior Theses

Foreign domestic helpers are one of the most common and unique sights in current-day Hong Kong. On the weekdays, they can be seen walking dogs, taking children to school, and completing chores around the house. On Sundays, they flood the streets in full force, relaxing and taking advantage of their one day off a week. This population faces many challenges during their time in Hong Kong – these challenges are modern as well as historical and include financial, governmental, emotional, and social challenges. Along with the challenges of day to day life, they also face challenges in that their stories …

How To Be The Perfect Asian Wife!, Sophia Hill

Art and Art History Honors Projects

“How to be the Perfect Asian Wife” critiques exploitative power systems that assault female bodies of color in intersectional ways. This work explores strategies of healing and resistance through inserting one’s own narrative of flourishing rather than surviving, while reflecting violent realities. Three large drawings mimic pervasive advertisement language and presentation reflecting the oppressive strategies used to contain women of color. Created with charcoal, watercolor, and ink, these 'advertisements' contrast with an interactive rice bag filled with comics of my everyday experiences. These documentations compel viewers to reflect on their own participation in systems of power.

In The Shadow Of Japanese Identity, Rosendo Lopez-Duran

East Asian Studies Honors Papers

Japan is, as former Prime Minister Asō Tarō once put it, commonly described as being “one race, one civilization, one language and one culture.” This statement reflects a popular conception of Japan as a homogenous nation. However, the purpose of this paper, building on earlier research, is to assess what exactly Japanese identity is, how it is constructed / maintained, and who is and is not considered “Japanese.” The impetus of this inquiry comes from my research of the hisabetsu burakumin, a Japanese social outcaste group, who have undergone significant changes throughout their long history as a socially-constructed “minority.” …

Allopathic Medicine’S Influence On Indigenous Peoples In The Kumaon Region Of India, Eliana M. Blum

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

This paper focuses on the use of western medicine in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, India. The goal of this research is to understand which healing practices are preferable in rural villages. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 53 participants, including two spiritual healers, two doctors, and one pharmacist. Results indicate that allopathic medicine, otherwise known as modern medicine or western medicine, has become the go-to remedy for even the most remote people in India. Nearly all participants use allopathic medicine, but less than half of the participants experiment with other forms of healing, such as Ayurveda, homeopathy, meditation, and yoga. …

The Role Of Chairman Mao To The Women Of Fujian Province, Stella Wong

Asian & Asian American Studies Student Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Mental Illness In East Asia, Paul Chan

Asian & Asian American Studies Student Research Symposium

Mental illness is a problem that is common East Asia, that hasn’t been properly acknowledged, or taken care of. Most common mental illness are depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, and substance abuse. The common conception of mental illness is that the person is dangerous, and unpredictable. One of the most prevalent issues is depression, and a common symptom of depression is suicide. Depression can be interlinked with other mental illnesses which makes treatment more difficult.

Asian Excellence In Fashion, Ryder Wong Spurgeon

Asian & Asian American Studies Student Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Interview With Arnoud De Meyer: Creating A New Management University, Arnoud De Meyer

Oral History Collection

The interview covered:

• Goals as President
• Support from the government
• SMU Academy
• SMU-X Building
• Board of trustees
• Differentiating SMU

Impact Of Tibetan Household Livelihood Capital On Tourism Participation Level: A Case Of Jiaju Tibetan Village In Garze, Yiyi Zhang

Annual Graduate Student Symposium

As more people move from countryside to cities and those left behind struggle to sustain livelihoods, China’s 19th National Congress of the Communist Party has prioritized the implementation of rural revitalization. A number of studies have examined drivers of livelihood transition from farming to non-farm activities, especially the participation in tourism against the backdrop of rural tourism development. There are, however, few studies identifying ways to measure tourism participation level or discussing how household-level capitals influence the decision on tourism participation made by Tibetan ethnic households. This article assessed the roles of livelihood capitals in the adoption of tourism activities …

Dolpopa, Yvette Segan

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The village of Dho is located in the Tarap Valley in the Himalayas of western Nepal. In the limited literature about the region, it is generally regarded as one of the most remote villages in the world with a culture that has been largely preserved due to the lack of accessibility. The villagers today maintain a trade that has been occurring for hundreds, if not thousands, of years with Tibet to ascertain the goods that they need. Lower Nepal is less available for trade due to the lack of a drivable road between Kathmandu and Dho Tarap. This has resulted …

Winning Combination For Collaboration On Plagiarism: Smu Libraries And Student Council Of Discipline (Scd), Mei Tan

Research Collection Library

Plagiarism in higher education is a reality that will not go away any time soon. In Singapore Management University (SMU) Libraries, we observed that there had been an increase in requests for plagiarism workshops in recent years. We also realised from the onset that conducting library workshops on plagiarism would not be sustainable in the long-run.

Purposeful Building Of Social Capital And The Adoption Of Essential Tools And Technologies In Impoverished Communities In The Philippines, Chon Phung Lim

Dissertations and Theses Collection

Despite its popularity and a wide range of applications, social capital is a contested concept. There is also no agreement on whether social capital responds well to external interventions. Many scholars found no or, at most, mixed impacts that social capital can be purposefully developed. However, Burt and Ranchi (2007) and Janicik and Larrick (2005) provided compelling evidence that simple network training can significantly improve participants’ ability to see gaps in their network and develop social capital.

The manifestations of social capital are context-dependent and complex, and rarely map into a single discipline or methodology (Jones and Woolcock, 2007). Hence, …

Nature And Nomads: Service Approach To Mongolia Tours, Jesse E. Shircliff

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Tourism has potential to diversify Mongolia’s geopolitically challenged economy. Tourism development and promotion has increased since 1990, and there is reason to expect continued sector growth. Cultural tourism has potential to commodify or degrade cultural resources (Gilbert, 2006, Pigliasco, 2010, Soma & Suhkee, 2014) and alter the physical landscape and identity of local people (Chang & Yeoh, 1999, Seng, 2005, Phua & Berkowitz, 2014). As tourism in Mongolia increases, its effects on cultural resources should be understood. This study of Mongolian tourism interviews fifteen tour company employees to understand how Mongolian culture is perceived and used from a business perspective. …

Preserving Identity Through Discourse In A Changing Ladakh, Emma Cyr

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Situated in the rain shadow of the Himalayas, Ladakh is a vast high altitude desert. It's looming mountains, rocky vistas, crystalline lakes, and unique indigenous culture makes Ladakh not only a favorite destination for adventurers, thrill seekers, and camera toters of all types, but also marks it as one of the most ecologically fragile areas in the world. However, Ladakh has only been open for tourism since 1974. Prior to then, the region was fairly isolated, open to travellers only a few months of the year, when the high, icy passes melted enough to let trade through. In the time …