A State of Ambivalence: The Feminist Movement in Singapore

Social Sciences in Asia #2

by Lenore Lyons

This book examines the contemporary feminist movement in Singapore through an in-depth case study of the locally-based Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE). It examines the meanings attached to feminist activism by AWARE members, including the use of the label 'feminist' as a self-identifier by both individuals as well as the organisation as a whole. By exploring the range of activities that AWARE has been involved in since the mid-1980s, the text describes in detail the fraught relationship between feminism and the state in Singapore. The author uses the framework of transnational feminism to explore the ways in which gender, race/ethnicity, and class intersect in the construction of historically and culturally specific feminisms. The book will be of interest to scholars from a range of disciplines, including those working on gender studies, feminist history, and Southeast Asian studies.

204 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004