Why should we pay attention to the longer and deeper history of Singapore that reaches back several centuries? Sceptics might argue that the present-day global city state has nothing in common with the settlement – or settlements – of the more distant past. But is that so? The study of Singapore’s history across the past seven centuries yields a series of insights about key continuities and discontinuities. There are two worth highlighting here: First, Singapore was and remains today a contested space. Second, Singapore played different roles and served different functions across the centuries. These now merit further elaboration. Singapore is geographically situated along a key maritime artery that links the South China Sea with the Bay of Bengal. Just as in earlier times, the Singapore and Malacca straits today represent the most important maritime arteries in the region and indeed globally. The straits define Singapore strategically. This latter expression should be understood beyond a narrower military understanding: Strategic here refers to a range of human activity taking place at, or immediately around, the island.... Continue Reading