Rhetoric and ScalesThe Kranji War Memorial &the Culture of War Remembrancein Singapore

What will be discussed History of war memory-making Kranji War Memorial as heritage site Problems of the site How the Memorial continues to contribute

significantly to the culture of war remembrance in Singapore State of local war remembrance culture Rhetorical a site (top-down) Rhetorical a site (bottom-up) Elaboration: Scales of Remembrance

Significance of research Conclusion

Personal Anecdote

What got me interested in the Kranji War Memorial?

Pride of the Infantry March (2010)- Rite of passage (28 km)- Foundation to Professional Term- Kranji War Memorial- Emotional attachment

3 Years Later- IEM2201K- Chance of a lifetime- How do others feel about this?- Why is my memory of it

different?- Research, Research, Research

Personal Anecdote

Kranji War Memorial History of a Nation

Forging a National IdentityFrom 1980s-Present:Republic’s Fears

Distance from war torn pastResilience for nation-building

and developmentPassive form of citizenshipCollective memory of wartime

sufferingLet’s track the history of

Singapore’s history

The Singapore Story1984: First official

Singapore history textbooks introduced by MOE

1990s: - Social Studies - National

narrative of war heroes scripted

1997-: - History/Social Studies - National Education - Total Defence Day

Kranji War Memorial A Heritage Site

Kranji War MemorialA Heritage Site

Battlefield Tour Site Two main attractions

War Cemeteryo 4461 Commonwealth casualtieso Christian, Malay-Muslim,

Chinese Singapore Memorial

Symbolizes Army, Navy, Air Force

24,000 Commonwealth casualties with no known grave

Contains names of local forcesWar Commemorative

Services Remembrance Day ANZAC Day

Significance Today: Integral part of NE initiatives Resilience Trails Singapore Armed Forces Everyday visits (Manager) Survey: 56.2% (2nd)

Kranji War Memorial

A Heritage Site

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ial0.0%

10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%

Kranji War Memorial: 56.2% Labrador Park: 56.2%

Fort Canning Park: 60.8% Notice something interesting

here?

Beaten only by parks!

With the Kranji War Memorial being used so extensively for war commemoration… It must really contribute significantly to war remembrance in Singapore…

Oh come on… Of course!

Who are you kidding…

Are you really so sure?

PROVE IT.

Kranji War Memorial Does it contribute significantly to the culture of war remembrance in Singapore? If so, how?

Criticisms abound…

Why Muslim tombstones got

only one headstone?!

Why no locals entombed here? Cannot relate…

I hate that Malay-Muslims given same burial as

Christians!

Significant?

Questions…

• If site’s not significant…• Why has the

government continued to use the site for education policies for three decades?

• Why would locals think remembering war is crucial due to its heritage or pedagogical value (52.5%)?

• Something doesn’t add up…

Answers

• SITE IS SIGNIFICANT!1. Artificial culture of

war remembrance2. Site is rhetorical

both top-down & bottom-up

3. Scales of RemembranceHeart of my research

Let’s find out more!

1st Argument: There is a culture of war remembrance

91%

9%

Do you think it is im-portant to commem-

orate WWII?Yes No

75%

25%

Do you think it is im-portant to commem-

orate WWII?Yes No

70%30%

Do you think war memorials play an

important role in war commemoration?

Yes No0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

Muzaini's Research (N=196) My Research (N=97)

Main reasons for importance of war commemoration

More on this later

Refined 1st Argument: An artificial culture of war remembrance

Would you participate voluntarily in commemorative activities?

No; 53%

Yes; 47%

Lack of time Too catered to foreigners

Poor knowledge Lack of interest0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

Muzaini's Research (N=106) My Research (N=97)

Number of people who have gone to at least one memorial before

Yes; 90.7%

No; 9.3%

Leisure activity

Personal commemoration

Learning journeys by the state

Desire to learn about the war

0.0 50.0 100.0Culture of war remembrance exists insofar as it is instituted by state policies

2nd Argument: Memorial: Powerfully Rhetorical Site

• Kranji War Memorial as 2nd most visited site by locals

• Partisan in nature• Eclectic, selective reconstructions

of war time stories activated by present concerns

• Meaningful by ‘affect’ • Repository of private grief and

memory for foreigners related to those buried at the site

• Meaningful and consequential • Narrates a ‘common, national

identity’• Collective memory of wartime

suffering

Top Down from State

2nd Argument: Memorial:

Powerfully Rhetorical Site

• Partisan in nature:• Constant contestation of memories at

the site• ‘Scales of Remembrance’ in situ

• Scales of Remembrance:• Scales: Levels of representation• Ways in which we reinterpret a

particular place • ‘Politics of Scale’: Memories of

different scales always in tension and reconfiguring each other

• Five broad scales: Personal, Communal, National, Imperial, Universal

Bottom up from people

3rd Argument: ‘Politics of Scale’- Memorial continues to be a significant heritage site

20062013 Imperial Scale National Scale & Communal Scale

No84%

Yes16%

Do you find the Memorial too Western-Centric and/or

Racially-Exclusive?

Why Muslim tombstones got

two headstones?!

I hate that Malay-Muslims given same burial as

Christians!

3rd Argument: ‘Politics of Scale’- Memorial continues to be a significant heritage site

Visual aids that may have helped this shift in scales

State’s NE initiatives have helped in this shift in scale: more National

88.5% of locals would recommend the Memorial to be more actively used for NE initiatives!

More evidence

3rd Argument: ‘Politics of Scale’- Memorial continues to be a significant heritage site

Imperial Scale Universal Scale

Reminds us of how important it is for nations to set aside their

differences and unite in international war against

terrorism!

A good place that teaches us important values of heroism and sacrifice. They all died for us to

live!

Consistent since 2006

3rd Argument: ‘Politics of Scale’- Memorial continues to be a significant heritage site

National Scale Prevails

Yes; 90%

No; 10%

Do you think the Memorial contributes significantly to

War Remembrance in Singapore?

61.5%: Heritage and Pedagogical Value

Explains why state continues to use it for

its nation-building objectives

HOWEVER… Recall this. Nation-building value=

20.2-20.8%. Contradictory?

3rd Argument: ‘Politics of Scale’- Memorial continues to be a significant heritage site

What do you think has helped forge a common, national identity in Singapore?

Do you think it is important to forge a common, national identity in Singapore?

Yes96%

No4%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

Recall61.5% cited ‘Heritage and Pedagogical Value’ as reason why Memorial contributes significantly to remembrance in Singapore

Overall argumentThe Kranji War Memorial contributes significantly to the culture of war remembrance in Singapore.How?

State

Public Memory

at Memorial

NE Initiatives, Education Policies

Politics of Scale

Common,

National Identity

National Heritage

Positive Feedback

War Remembrance

How?

Significance of Research

• Policymakers:• Must recognize the dyadic

state-public nature of public memories at the site

• Must connect more with people and attempt to excavate memories ‘from below’

• Local Memory Studies:• Traditionally explored top-

down approach of memory creation

• Parallel importance of bottom-up construction of public memory

ConclusionThe Kranji War Memorial contributes significantly to the culture of

war remembrance in Singapore because it is a highly rhetorical site, both top-down and bottom-up (scales of remembrance)

The culture of war remembrance is present, yet artificial, insofar as it is instituted by the state

NE initiatives have helped shift the scales of remembrance in the ‘politics of scale’, which in turn, adds on to its rhetorical value

The Memorial site indirectly helps the forging of a common, national identity by contributing to national heritage

Policymakers and local memory studies should focus more on the ways locals continue to revalorize the site in making the use of the site more aligned to nation-building objectives

Q&A SessionThe Kranji War Memorial &the Culture of War Remembrancein Singapore

Thank You!