Syed Khairudin (Malay Studies, NUS) and Derek Heng (History Department, Ohio State University) are putting together a panel of 4 papers for the upcoming ICAS conference to be held in Kuala Lumpur in August 2007, and are appealing for participation. The title of the panel is tentatively--Bi-culturalism and hybridisation in Singapore history.

We have so far narrowed the possible areas to the following:

1) Problems, anachronisms and politics inherent within Singapore State definition of "Biculturalism" as against the pre-independence past.
2) Historiography and critique on bi-culturalism and hybridisation as an approach to framing Singapore history.
3) The role of the state (colonial or present) in promoting biculturality or bicultural relations
4) Fuzzy/Creole identities within a racialised setting (Baba, Jawi Peranakan, Arab-Malay etc)
5) Sources for the study of hybrid identities.

As you can see, this will hopefully not encompass only the historians, but perhaps those in sociology as well.

The deadline for panel submission for ICAS is early December 2006. we will therefore need a confirmation of participation, and a working title or abstract by 15 November.

Please note that there is no funding available for this panel. Participants are expected to seek funding their own funding for the conference.

Derek can be contacted at; dwheng@singnet.com.sg