The winner of a new prize that will celebrate Singapore’s 50th anniversary of independence is likely to be a book that examines the history of the tightly controlled city-state. The National University of Singapore’s (NUS) History Prize was introduced last year to reward a publication that has “made a significant contribution to the understanding of Singapore’s past.” It will be awarded every three years and the winner will receive a cash award of S$50,000.
The shortlist for the prize reflects a diverse range of topics, including historical events with a personal slant. For example, the novel Sembawang by Jeremy Tiang traces the lives of a family living through leftist political movements and detentions in Singapore and Malaysia in the 1950s. This book is up against the more scholarly work of Professor John Miksic, whose work Singapore and the Silk Road of the Sea, 1300-1800 reveals the first archaeological evidence that shows how the Singapore story began much earlier than previously thought.
Another non-fiction work with a personal touch is Leluhur: Singapore’s Kampong Gelam by Hidayah Amin, who shines a light on the history of a heritage royal building many now only see as a tourist attraction. Amin is a former NUS undergraduate who now teaches at the department of Southeast Asian studies. She aims to highlight the importance of Singapore’s colonial past and how it has shaped modern Singapore.
A biography of the late Christopher Bathurst KC, Viscount Bledisloe, who founded his own law firm, Fountain Court Chambers, in London and developed a substantial practice in Southeast Asia, particularly in Singapore, is also on the shortlist. His casebooks on arbitration and a number of important legal decisions are still being used in the region.
In the category of social impact, NUS Asia Research Institute distinguished fellow Kishore Mahbubani argues that nations are “imagined communities” and a shared imagination of the past is a critical glue holding societies together. The prize’s nominating committee includes NUS faculty members Ian Gordon, a former head of the NUS Department of History; Assistant Professor Seng Guo Quan; educator Beatrice Chong; and curator Suhaili Osman.
Those interested in applying to the prize can submit their proposals online by Oct 30 this year. Those selected will present their projects live at WAF and Inside, as well as at other international conferences throughout the year. They will also be eligible for the Xero Beautiful Business Fund, a US$630,000 prize pool that will support small businesses in Singapore and six other global markets to implement their ideas. The contest is backed by Xero, the cloud accounting software company. For more details on the application process, click here. The event was held at the Ritz Carlton-Millenia in Singapore.
