Alfian Sa'at

Cherian George

Kristian-Marc James Paul

Carol Yuen

Reetaza Chatterjee

Corinna Lim

Alex Au

Kirsten Han

Kok Hoe Ng

Walid Jumblatt Abdullah

Thirunalan Sasitharan

Suraendher Kumarr

Isaac Neo

Remy Choo

Irie Aman

Daryl Yang

Kenneth Paul Tan

Joel Yew

Haolie Jiang

Advocates and activists in Singapore contribute to policy discussions and positive change through a combination of deft manoeuvres and patient politics. Yet civil society is often unacknowledged, their skill and labour instead frequently misunderstood, even earning them the label of “troublemakers” or “enemies of the state”.

This collection of essays and interviews is a candid reflection on the intentions, beliefs and strategies behind the practice of advocacy across a spectrum of causes. The contributors come from varying backgrounds and include academics, artists, lawyers, journalists, non-profit and advocacy organisations, student and community organisers. They share practical insights into their aims and community-building work, and the tactics they employ to overcome obstacles, shedding light on how to navigate a city-state with shifting socio-political fault lines and out-of-bound markers.

With an introduction, “It is Time to Trim the Banyan Tree”, by Constance Singam, and a conclusion, “Their Struggle is Ours to Continue”, by Suraendher Kumarr.

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