Singapore at the crossroads: Maintaining cohesion in a changing world

An identity based on just economic growth no longer suffices.

- Harvey Whitehouse

Singapore's remarkable journey from a small island nation to a global economic powerhouse is a testament to its forward-thinking leadership and high levels of social cohesion. As the world grapples with the collapse of the rules-based order and democracies face challenges from polarization, populism and declining trust in institutions, Singapore finds itself at a critical juncture.

The question now is whether it can continue to adapt successfully to both internal and external threats while maintaining the cohesion and future-mindedness that have been instrumental to its success.

As a speaker at this week's International Conference on Cohesive Societies, which Singapore hosted, I described new research showing that one of the most potent drivers of prosocial behavior is the fusion of personal and group identities. This fusion often occurs through shared, life-changing experiences like national service. When a country's identity markers—such as its flag or anthem, or its iconic buildings, national sports teams and cultural achievements—become linked with personally meaningful experiences, people can pull together to achieve remarkable things.

However, in many countries, collective rituals are declining, and people's identities are increasingly shaped by algorithms designed to sell products and political attitudes, leading to social fragmentation and vulnerability to exploitation by populists, extremists and disrupters.

FOSTERING COHESION IN A POLARIZED WORLD