MAKING SPACE FOR DEMOCRACY a study of the use of public space by migrant workers in Singapore Nur Atiqa Binte Asri MSc City and Regional Planning May 6, 2016
STATEMENT OF ISSUE
Little India Riot 9 December, 2013 A “mob reaction” to a fatal bus accident involving a Tamil worker
STATEMENT OF ISSUE
“Singapore’s first riot in four decades” - Ministry of Home Affairs Singapore, 2014
Involving hundreds of male South Asian migrant workers
OBJECTIVES OF STUDY
1. Understand public space democracy in the context of Singapore and how it affects migrant workers and locals, respectively;
2. Record and analyze the ways in which migrant workers use public spaces and have adapted to the current state of spatial justice in the city; and
3. Identify planning tools and policies that will enhance public spaces for use by locals and migrant workers
WHO ARE MIGRANT WORKERS?
Work Permit Holders • Male • Construction, manufacturing, marine, process, or service sectors • Age: 18-58 • Max. period of employment: 10-22 years • One rest day without pay for every 7-day period (incl. Sunday and public holidays)
WHO ARE MIGRANT WORKERS?
Work Permit Holders • Female • Only perform household and domestic duties and reside at the employer’s residential address • Age: 23-50 • One rest day without pay for every 7-day period (incl. Sunday and public holidays)
MIGRANT WORKERS’ PRIVATE SPACE
Employers provide workers with lowest cost ‘acceptable housing’ that is structurally safe, fire- and safetyproof, and that meet environmental health and sanitary standards • Purpose-built dormitories • Temporary housing quarters made from large shipping containers
MIGRANT WORKERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; PRIVATE SPACE On average, 12 men are housed in dormitory rooms measuring no more than 25 sq meters, below the internationallyrecognized 20< square meters floor area per person minimum standards for developed countries
(UN Population Division, n.d.)
MIGRANT WORKERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; PRIVATE SPACE In 2015, the Ministry of Manpower said it performed more than 2,600 housing inspections and took enforcement action against more than 2,100 employers who were warned ... or charged in court
LIFE + REGULATIONS IN PUBLIC SPACE
Public Order Act
• Regulation of causerelated activities via permits, regardless of the number of persons involved or the format they are conducted in
Liquor Control Bill
• Controls supply and consumption of liquor in public place • Designation of strictly-regulated ‘liquor control zones’
PUBLIC SPACE “a part of a place that the occupier of the place allows members of the public to enter...”
- Singapore Statutes Online 2012
“any place to which .. the public have access as of right or by virtue of express or implied permission ... ” - Singapore Statutes Online 2012
“public space.. is produced through constant struggles in the past and present… it is by struggling over and within space that the natures of ‘the public’ and of democracy are defined”
DEMOCRACY IN PUBLIC SPACES Places that encourage convergence - Mitchell, 1995; Low and Smith, 2006
Places that cultivate tolerance - Carr, 1993
Places that allow critical debate and increase mutual acceptance - Habermas; Carr et al, 1993
DEMOCRATIC PUBLIC SPACE Tier 1: Encourages Convergence
THE CHECKLIST
CRITERION A - Allows for unmediated interaction CRITERION B - Lacks coercion CRITERION C - Allows for discourse to check powers
Tier 2: Cultivates Tolerance CRITERION D - Engages a wide variety of cultural practices CRITERION E - Creates opportunities for social communion and shared experiences CRITERION F - Cultivates forbearance
Tier 3: Increase Disposition CRITERION G - Allows for insurgence CRITERION H - Allows for critical debate to seek consensus and mutual enjoyment
DEMOCRATIC PUBLIC SPACE Tier 1: Encourages Convergence
CHECKLIST INDICATORS
CRITERION A - Comfort and safety level, group size, mix of activities CRITERION B - Presence of police, comfort and safety level CRITERION C - Presence of police, surveillance cameras, statutory laws
Tier 2: Cultivates Tolerance CRITERION D - Country of origin, ethnicity, culture-specific activity CRITERION E - Country of origin, ethnicity, activity: talking, eating, length of stay in Singapore CRITERION F - Country of origin, education level, gender, age
Tier 3: Increase Disposition CRITERION G - Outlier activities, ownership CRITERION H - Activity: talking, group size <1, education level, ownership
RESEARCH QUESTION
How are public spaces in Singapore democratic?
METHODOLOGY Social Observation Matrix
• 30-minute sessions
+
Intercept Survey
• Sample size: 70
+
Informal Discussion
• Groups of no more than 5
DUNLOP STREET
• • • • •
Located within liquor control zone, one street away from riot site 2 surveillance cameras Police signs not translated to Bengali or Hindi High levels of reported comfort and safety 50% recurrent visitors - at least “every few months”
DUNLOP STREET Social Observation Matrix
• • • • •
+
Intercept Survey
+
Informal Discussion
90% Male 85.6% Indian or Bangladeshi Average group size: 2.02 Average age: 29 Mode activities: Walking, cycling, talking, meeting friends, shopping for groceries
DUNLOP STREET
82% felt like they owned the space
14%
4%
Singaporeans who felt like they did “not really”own the space
DUNLOP STREET Tier 1: Encourages Convergence CRITERION A - Allows for unmediated interaction CRITERION B - Lacks coercion CRITERION C - Allows for discourse to check powers
Tier 2: Cultivates Tolerance CRITERION D - Engages a wide variety of cultural practices CRITERION E - Creates opportunities for social communion and shared experiences CRITERION F - Cultivates forbearance
Tier 3: Increase Disposition CRITERION G - Allows for insurgence CRITERION H - Allows for critical debate to seek consensus and mutual enjoyment
TANJONG KATONG COMPLEX
• • • • •
Located outside liquor control zone 2 surveillance cameras Police signs not translated to Bahasa 84.3% of respondents reported feeling comfortable and safe Domestic workers reportedly spend alot of time sharing their work experiences
TANJONG KATONG COMPLEX Social Observation Matrix
• • • • •
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Intercept Survey
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Informal Discussion
100% Female 74.3% Indonesian Mode group size: 2 - group sizes as big as 12 Average age: 31 Standing and sitting in the shade, meeting friends, talking, and engaged in other optional and social activities • Outlier activities: illegal vending of traditional Indonesian food and sale of calling cards
TANJONG KATONG COMPLEX Tier 1: Encourages Convergence CRITERION A - Allows for unmediated interaction CRITERION B - Lacks coercion CRITERION C - Allows for discourse to check powers
Tier 2: Cultivates Tolerance CRITERION D - Engages a wide variety of cultural practices CRITERION E - Creates opportunities for social communion and shared experiences CRITERION F - Cultivates forbearance
Tier 3: Increase Disposition CRITERION G - Allows for insurgence CRITERION H - Allows for critical debate to seek consensus and mutual enjoyment
TANJONG KATONG COMPLEX Tier 1: Encourages Convergence CRITERION A - Allows for unmediated interaction CRITERION B - Lacks coercion CRITERION C - Allows for discourse to check powers
Tier 2: Cultivates Tolerance CRITERION D - Engages a wide variety of cultural practices CRITERION E - Creates opportunities for social communion and shared experiences CRITERION F - Cultivates forbearance
Tier 3: Increase Disposition CRITERION G - Allows for insurgence CRITERION H - Allows for critical debate to seek consensus and mutual enjoyment
So are public spaces in Singapore democratic?
So are public spaces in Singapore democratic? • Good mix of activities • High levels of safety and comfort • Big groups interacting • Absence of coercion
• Limited discourse to check powers • Limited opportunity to critically debate • Lack of diversity in users to engae a wide variety of cultural practices
THE CASE OF HONG KONG
“Little Manila” Central District, HK A privately-owned public plaza, occupied on Sundays by Filipino domestic workers
THE CASE OF HONG KONG
Hong Kong’s Neutral Position • Acknowledge the presence of Filipino domestic workers • Increase security • Increase sanitation • Allow insurgent activities and selfexpression in public space
HONG KONG PUBLIC SPACE Tier 1: Encourages Convergence CRITERION A - Allows for unmediated interaction CRITERION B - Lacks coercion CRITERION C - Allows for discourse to check powers
Tier 2: Cultivates Tolerance CRITERION D - Engages a wide variety of cultural practices CRITERION E - Creates opportunities for social communion and shared experiences CRITERION F - Cultivates forbearance
Tier 3: Increase Disposition CRITERION G - Allows for insurgence CRITERION H - Allows for critical debate to seek consensus and mutual enjoyment
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A DEMOCRATIC PUBLIC SPACE 1. Create a citywide plan for social and intercultural coexistence in public spaces Promote intercultural knowledge between migrant worker populations and Singaporeans by allowing them to use public spaces to celebrate traditional cultural events and host intercultural public meetings
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A DEMOCRATIC PUBLIC SPACE Key Actors:
• Ministry of Manpower • Grassroots migrant organizations • Local community development councils
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A DEMOCRATIC PUBLIC SPACE 1a. Public art programs jointly produced by grassroots migrant organizations Raise awareness around housing and employment issues facing migrant workers, while imparting arts and cultural skills to migrant workers
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A DEMOCRATIC PUBLIC SPACE Key Actors:
• Urban Redevelopment Authority (Place Management Department) • Grassroots migrant organizations • Community-based arts organizations • National Arts Council
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A DEMOCRATIC PUBLIC SPACE 2. Mandate multilingual public planing meetings, design charrettes etc. in public spaces frequented by migrant workers Increases participation by and effectiveness of public meetings and workshops for locals and migrant workers â&#x20AC;˘ Languages should also include Hindi, Tagalog, and Bahasa.
Democratizing the planning process is essential to creating democratic public spaces. Prof. Jeff Hou Professor and Chair, Landscape Architecture University of Washington
MAKING SPACE FOR DEMOCRACY a study of the use of public space by migrant workers in Singapore Nur Atiqa Binte Asri MSc City and Regional Planning May 6, 2016