Social Space - The Inclusion Issue

January 2018

T H E

I N C L U S I O N

I S S U E

CONTENTS

[4] SOCIAL STRATOSPHERE HOT TOPICS & HAPPENINGS IN SOCIAL INNOVATION [9] COMING TO TERMS THE INCLUSION INDEX: COMMON TERMS IN THE DISCOURSE OF SOCIAL INCLUSION [12] FEATURE NEW SCHOOL: CAN WE RETHINK EDUCATION FOR AN INCLUSIVE FUTURE? [18] FEATURE BULLY BE GONE: WHAT IS WORKPLACE BULLYING AND WHY DOES IT MATTER? [23] FEATURE IN GOOD COMPANY: IN THE FUTURE, EVERY BUSINESS MIGHT BE SOCIAL [28] CONVERSATIONS RECONCILING THE DIVIDE: A CHAT WITH BILL DRAYTON ON SOCIAL INCLUSION [32] CONVERSATIONS SPECIAL DELIVERY: AN AFTERNOON WITH THREE LADIES BEHIND MAMRE OAKS [38] FOOD FOR THOUGHT IN ALL FAIRNESS: TWO DECADES OF CEDAW AND THE STATE OF GENDER EQUALITY IN SINGAPORE [44] FOOD FOR THOUGHT “DIE-LOGUE”: ELDERLY ISOLATION AND THE NEED TO TALK ABOUT DEATH

[47] FOOD

FOR THOUGHT WAXING POETIC: A BENGALI TALE IN SINGAPORE [53] FOOD FOR THOUGHT THREE CHEERS FOR “FREAKS”, MISFITS AND

IMMIGRANTS:

ABOUT

INCLUSIVENESS

IN

CHILDREN’S

BOOKS [60] THE SHORT LIST 10 MOVIES AND DOCUMENTARIES WITH AN “INCLUSION” MESSAGE [64] POP QUIZ WORD SEARCH

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 1

JANUARY 2018

EDITORIAL TEAM Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Chang Deputy Editor Eunice Rachel Low Editorial Assistants Tamara Prabhakar and Trang Luu

General enquiries & feedback: hello@socialspacemag.org Editorial & submissions: editor@socialspacemag.org Advertising: advertising@socialspacemag.org

Special thanks to the following individuals for their unique contributions: Christian Petroske, Emma Glendinning, Han-Peng Ho, Ling Kai Tsi, Lina Shi, Shirley Pong, Sujith Kumar Prankumar and Yina Song Aside from the editorial, all articles written by the authors, including individuals associated with the Lien Centre for Social Innovation, do not necessarily reect the views or standpoint of the Centre. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in any retrieval system of any nature without the prior written permission of the Centre.

ISSN 1793-7809 (print) ISSN 2424-9157 (online) Designed by Achates 360 Pte Ltd Printed in Singapore by Mainland Press Pte Ltd

The inside pages of Social Space are printed on Pacesetter Plus Matt paper. Certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, the paper materials have been sourced in an environmentally friendly, socially responsible and economically viable manner. Š 2018 Social Space Magazine. Social Space is a publication of the Lien Centre for Social Innovation, Singapore Management University 81 Victoria Street, Singapore 188065. Visit www.socialspacemag.org for more information

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SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018

Dear readers,

EDITOR’S NOTE

The concept of inclusivity is meaningful to us at the Lien Centre for Social Innovation (LCSI). As Executive Director of LCSI, I have the privilege of working with a diverse and inclusive team, and together we have worked on applied research, programmes and events championing social inclusion.

These include our publications on unmet social needs and short courses on social innovation, among others.

In this issue of Social Space, our contributors cover a wide range of issues including workplace bullying, isolation and dying, gender equality, migrant work, disability, social business, education and inclusiveness in children’s literature. Learn the vernacular of social inclusion, check out our recommendations for documentaries and movies, and keep up to date with the latest happenings in the field. We were thrilled to have interviewed Bill Drayton, the Founder and CEO of Ashoka, an international organisation that promotes social entrepreneurship.

Singapore Management University, where our Centre is located, is a proud member of the Ashoka Changemaker Campus network, placing SMU among global leaders in facilitating social innovation and changemaking in higher education.

In our ever-changing world in which cultural and religious sensitivity is crucial, inclusivity starts with us. It is important to work together and include diverse people and perspectives to reach a state where everybody can feel like they belong. Inclusivity requires a high level of selfawareness, respect and empathy. Who others are matters as much as who we are. All of us have a stake in the well-being of our communities, and we are responsible for the future we want to see. In other words, our attitude and capacity to empathise will affect our life journey in real and meaningful ways.

We encourage you to head to www.socialspacemag.org for bonus online content, updates, contests and videos. Please write to us with your thoughts, reactions and contributions—we love hearing from you.

Happy New Year!

Jonathan Chang Editor-in-Chief jonathan@socialspacemag.org

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 3

SOCIAL STRATOSPHERE

Hot Topics and Happenings in Social Innovation

By Tamara Prabhakar and Trang Luu

AND ZO FORTH

Image from Zo Project’s Facebook page

Ever heard of a kind of handmade paper that lasts up to 800 years? The extremely durable Dó paper—made from the bark of the Rhamnoneuron balansae and traditionally produced in Vietnam—is renowned for its durability and resilience, and famous for being the canvas for Vietnamese folk art paintings.

However, the meticulous manufacturing process of Dó paper, involving up to 100 steps, is fast becoming obsolete due to the rise in mass-produced goods. Wishing to revitalise this industry, Tran Hong Nhung founded the social enterprise Zo Project, which aims to support the livelihoods of artisans and promote the papermaking trade. Not only does Zo Project collaborate with craftspeople and ecologists to implement eco-friendly papermaking techniques, it also works with artists to create a variety of handicrafts that combine ancient cultural elements with contemporary design. If ever on a visit to Hanoi, check out the Zo Souvenir Shop, nestled in a surprisingly tranquil corner by the train tracks amid the bustling Hoan Kiem area. http://zopaper.com

COAL-CONUT In Ghana, coconuts are more than just a delectable fruit—they also provide an ingenious solution to the country’s hazardous overdependence on charcoal and firewood for energy. Sulley Amin founded Zaacoal in 2014 with a vision to manufacture a safe, smoke-free and sustainable alternative to charcoal by using the ubiquitous discarded coconut shells found in most Ghanaian cities. Amin’s innovation concurrently addresses multiple issues facing his home country—not only does Zaacoal have the potential to curb harmful emissions from charcoal and reduce the deforestation involved in firewood production, but it further provides an effective management system for coconut waste. Zaacoal caters to both individual households and commercial enterprises with a wide variety of products, including cooking briquettes, quick light charcoal, shisha charcoal and activated charcoal. Amin and his team intend to significantly scale up production in order to meet the growing demand from both the local African and global markets. https://www.facebook.com/zaacoal 4

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018

Founder of Zaacoal, Sulley Amin, atop a pile of discarded coconut shells; image courtesy of Zaacoal

HOT TOPICS AND HAPPENINGS IN SOCIAL INNOVATION

WEARING IS CARING

Care+Wear’s Chest Access Polo; image courtesy of Care+Wear

Many patients who receive treatment through PICC lines—intravenous tubes inserted in the arm to deliver medications—are advised to wear a bulky and often uncomfortable tube sock to protect the insertion site. Recognising the need for functional and fashionable healthware, Chaitenya Razdan and Susan Jones launched New York-based start-up Care+Wear in 2014 to produce items such as the PICC Line Cover—made from breathable antimicrobial fabric with visibility through a mesh window—as well as specially designed shirts with zipper openings Exclusive deal for for easy access to chest ports, Social Space readers! the implanted device often used Enter “Space5” upon in chemotherapy. The team at checkout to enjoy Care+Wear collaborates with both 5% off your entire clinicians and fashion experts to purchase. ensure that their products cater to their customers’ medical needs, and enable them to go about daily activities with ease and lack of self-consciousness. https://www.careandwear.com

ROLLING IN THE DEEP Simon Griffiths, Danny Alexander and Jehan Ratnatunga are more passionate about toilet paper than the average person. Based in Australia, their cheekily named social enterprise Who Gives A Crap is dedicated to transforming the way we think about basic sanitation, one roll at a time. The company was founded in response to the startling lack of access to toilet facilities in developing countries, which affects around 2.4 billion people and causes deadly waterborne illnesses. Who Gives A Crap sells forest-friendly toilet paper made from recycled materials and donates 50 per cent of its proceeds to build toilets in the developing world. The benefits are twofold: to date, the efforts of this social enterprise have resulted in the reduction of nearly 6,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and improved sanitation for approximately 100,000 people.

Who Gives A Crap’s funky yet ethical products can be purchased off their website. https://au.whogivesacrap.org

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 5

5 FOR FIGHTING With the towering skyscrapers and glitzy malls that dot the island, the average Singaporean can sometimes be oblivious to the plight of low-income groups who struggle on a daily basis to make ends meet. To this end, Singaporeans Against Poverty, a local campaign under Caritas Singapore, hopes to spark a wider conversation about the invisible urban poor and the vicious cycle of poverty with two simulation initiatives. Respectively called the $5 Challenge and PING!: Poverty Is Not a Game, the former challenges participants to spend no more than 5 Singapore dollars a day on food and transport—the same amount spent by each household member in the country’s bottom ten percentile—while the latter is an online game in which players, cast as underprivileged characters, deal with a variety of difficult life choices faced by the low-income members of society. Through these simulation exercises, Singaporeans Against Poverty aims to expose the general public to the interconnected dimensions of poverty and unmet medical, social and emotional needs.

Images courtesy of Caritas Singapore

https://sgagainstpoverty.org

GIVE AND TECH ImpacTech, formerly known as Tech for Good in Asia, is an acceleration and educational programme for early-stage start-ups that harness technology in innovative ways to tackle social issues. Founded in Singapore by Kineret Karin and Yoav Elgrichi, its team of mentors and partners consult and provide collaborative networks for companies looking to acquire funding and development plans. Focusing on start-ups that deal with a variety of social issues—ageing populations, empowering people with disabilities, nutrition and health, education and safer work environments, to name a few— ImpacTech selects companies based on their capacity for sustainable growth and whose leaders prioritise solving social issues affecting relevant communities. Some of its companies include Hapticus, a technology start-up that helps disabled people navigate urban spaces more efficiently; and Youcall, which facilitates multilingual communication by providing translation services for calls. http://impactech.co

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HOT TOPICS AND HAPPENINGS IN SOCIAL INNOVATION

E-QUALITY In a pervasive consumerist culture dominated by the mass production of goods, Coopita distinguishes itself as a conduit between local Asian artisans and global consumers by supplying attractive and high-quality goods ranging from handwoven patterned silk stoles to colourful “pinch-striped” teapot sets. Cofounded by Naomi Jacob, Mayur Singh and Isaac Lian, this e-market preserves authentic and rare forms of craftsmanship by offering a carefully curated range of products sourced from underexposed Asian markets. Beyond promoting greater awareness for these small-scale enterprises, the Coopita team values the story and “human connection” behind the unique crafts: in May 2017, they partnered with “Meet the Makers Indonesia” to host their inaugural “Meet the Makers Singapore”, a series of exhibitions, talks and workshops featuring their network of Asian artisans. Coopita also works with businesses on corporate gifting in order to provide multiple demand channels to their maker organisations.

A weaver in Indonesia; image courtesy of Coopita

http://coopita.com

GOODNESS GRAZERS! CEO Amy Zheng and her team at Amazin’ Graze aim to steer more people away from unhealthy snacks like greasy chips and buttery cookies, and introduce them to healthier options. Founded in Malaysia and additionally operating out of Singapore and Hong Kong, this start-up locally procures raw fresh ingredients such as nuts, seeds and granola, and combines them into small batches of flavourful blends at S$6.50 per pack. With products including Tom Yom Kaffir Lime Nut Mix, Rose Macadamia Granola and Pulut Hitam Cookies, Amazin’ Graze’s range of healthy munchies are available at Tangs and Naiise outlets, as well as online. https://www.amazingraze.co

Image courtesy of Amazin' Grace SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 7

HOT TOPICS AND HAPPENINGS IN SOCIAL INNOVATION

BETTER LATTE THAN NEVER

Image from Bicycle Barista’s Facebook page

This is not your average coffee cart. Founded by Tony Boatman in 2014 in partnership with Madi Gras, founder of Dapper Coffee and Apostrophe Coffee&Crafts, Bicycle Barista is a “profit for purpose” social enterprise that not only serves up delicious crafted drinks, but also provides young “coffeepreneurs” with an easy, cost-effective way to start their businesses—through a collaborative network of events, chat sessions and online tutorials. Their bicycle cart model was intentionally chosen because of its minimal carbon footprint and ease of access to different locations. Bicycle Barista currently operates in shared spaces within corporate buildings and small regional areas, but also participates in pop-ups for private or corporate events. http://www.bicyclebarista.com

WHAT’S BUGGING YOU? According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), global production of livestock accounts for 14.5 per cent of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, such as excess methane from land clearance, feed production and animal waste. If you are “bugged” by the environmental strain caused by current consumption practices, why not turn to Chirps, chips made from cricket flour? Crickets require minimal resources for cultivation and are packed with protein and fibre, making them sustainable and nutritious snacks. Chirps Chips is one product under parent company Six Foods, founded by Harvard alumnae Laura D’Asaro, Rose Wang and Meryl Nato, who aim to normalise entomophagy (the practice of eating insects) to promote alternative food sources.

Chirps Chips comes in three different flavours: BBQ, sea salt and cheddar. https://chirpschips.com Hailing from Texas, USA, Tamara Prabhakar is a rising junior at the University of Pennsylvania, with a major in Science, Technology, and Society, and double minors in Consumer Psychology and Fine Arts. Eager to gain exposure to social issues in Southeast Asia and to participate in a variety of socially oriented projects both inside and outside the classroom, Tamara joined the Lien Centre for Social Innovation as a Summer Associate (Editorial). She is also is a lead editor of IMPACT, a UPennbased magazine with a mission to promote community involvement and effect social change on multiple scales. Tamara hopes to capitalise on the power of technology to drive and reinvent social impact in the future.

She can be reached at tpra@sas.upenn.edu

Just for Social Space readers! Enter “BUGS10” to enjoy 10% off your purchase of Chirps Chips!

Images courtesy of Chirps Chips Originally from Vietnam, Trang Luu was a Summer Associate (Editorial) at the Lien Centre for Social Innovation. She is a junior at the University of Pennsylvania, where she majors in English with a concentration in Literary Theory and Cultural Studies.

As a former research assistant at Write4Change—an educational project with a focus on socially conscious writing—she studied communication practices among adolescents in global writing communities. Trang’s summer stint at the Lien Centre married her interests in editing and publishing to her belief in the potential of the humanities as a catalyst for impact. She can be reached at trangluu@sas.upenn.edu

Have a hot social change/innovation news story to share? Email us at editor@socialspacemag.org 8

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018

COMING TO TERMS

The Inclusion Index Common C omm mon Terms in the Discourse D isscou urse of Social Inclusion

By Trang Luu

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 9

CCESSIBILITY The equal availability of services, facilities, opportunities and resources to people belonging to disadvantaged groups. https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/residents/ environment-and-planning/environment/ accessibility/definition-of-accessibility/56334. article

LLY A member of a privileged group who acknowledges his/her advantages and works in solidarity with marginalised individuals and/ or groups to confront and dismantle systems of oppression. https://new.oberlin.edu/dotAsset/2012201.pdf

OSMOPOLITANISM Derives from the Ancient Greek word kosmopolitês, which means “citizen of the world”.

The ideology that all human beings deserve equal respect and belong to a single global community based on an inclusive, all-encompassing morality. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ cosmopolitanism

ULTURAL PLURALISM A situation in which different cultural, racial and ethnic groups in a larger society can retain their distinctive identities without having to conform to the dominant culture, and receive equal rights and recognition. http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/cgi/viewcontent. cgi?article=1178&context=jssw

MPOWERMENT The process whereby individuals and communities realise their capacity and gain the autonomy and self-confidence to achieve their own goals and influence others to effect change. Empowerment can be achieved through self-help and/or external support, including the development of resources on multiple scales. http://www.gsdrc.org/topic-guides/voiceempowerment-and-accountability/supplements/ conceptualising-voice-and-accountability/

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LASS CEILING An unacknowledged or unseen, yet insuperable barrier that prevents certain demographics—usually women and minorities— from obtaining further success beyond a particular level. This term is often used to refer to the challenges that women and minorities face in advancing their careers in the corporate hierarchy. https://www.dol.gov/dol/aboutdol/history/reich/ reports/ceiling.htm

ATE CRIME A criminal act—usually violent—motivated by prejudice against the victim’s social group membership or affiliation. Hate crime incidents may include, but are not limited to, physical harm, harassment, verbal abuse, vandalism and damage to property. https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/civil-rights/ hate-crimes

NTERSECTIONALITY The interrelationship of multiple forms of discrimination associated with overlapping social identities, which creates a multifaceted system of oppression. For example, a lesbian woman of colour may simultaneously face homophobia, sexism and racism. http://www.newstatesman.com/lifestyle/2014/04/ kimberl-crenshaw-intersectionality-i-wantedcome-everyday-metaphor-anyone-could

ARGINALISATION The relegation of certain individuals or groups to the margins of the society on the basis of social bias. This phenomenon often involves limited access to rights and resources, and hinders meaningful social engagement. http://counselingcenter.syr.edu/social-justice/ impact-of-marginalisation.html

THE INCLUSION INDEX

ICROAGGRESSION Casual verbal or non-verbal exchanges which intentionally or unintentionally convey demeaning messages towards people from disadvantaged groups. Microaggression may stem from implicit or unconscious bias.

TEREOTYPE A widely held, yet simplistic generalisation about a specific type or group of people based on incomplete or inaccurate understanding. http://scholar.harvard.edu/files/shleifer/files/ stereotypes_june_6.pdf

https://ampersand.gseis.ucla.edu/ microaggressions-what-you-need-to-know

OLERANCE THERING Perceiving or treating an individual or a group as alien and deviant from the mainstream.

The practice of othering creates dynamics of superiority and inferiority by assigning undesirable qualities to the “other”, thereby reinforcing the supposed noble identity of the dominant group. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.govpubmed/15090288 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ 9780470672532.wbepp184/abstract

RIVILEGE A special right, advantage or immunity solely granted to a particular person or group due to their social status.

The willingness to accept and respect the diversity of opinions, beliefs and practices which may be different from or conflicting with one’s own. http://www.unesco.org/webworld/peace_library/ UNESCO/HRIGHTS/124-129.HTM

Originally from Vietnam, Trang Luu was a Summer Associate (Editorial) at the Lien Centre for Social Innovation. She is a junior at the University of Pennsylvania, where she majors in English with a concentration in Literary Theory and Cultural Studies.

As a former research assistant at Write4Change—an educational project with a focus on socially conscious writing—she studied communication practices among adolescents in global writing communities. Trang’s summer stint at the Lien Centre married her interests in editing and publishing to her belief in the potential of the humanities as a catalyst for impact. She can be reached at trangluu@sas.upenn.edu

https://www.vanderbilt.edu/oacs/wp-content/ uploads/sites/140/Understanding-Privilege-andOppression-Handout.doc

CAPEGOATING The practice of unfairly assigning blame to a party who is an easy target for discriminatory treatment, thus allowing the dominant group to avoid responsibility for any arising issues.

For instance, immigrants can be scapegoated for social instability. https://hub.wsu.edu/law-justice-realtime/2015/ 12/17/islamophobia-the-stereotyping-andprejudice-towards-muslims-since-911

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 11

FEATURE

NEW SCHOOL

Can We Rethink Education for an Inclusive Future?

By Chris Oestereich

The times they are a changin’ —Bob Dylan

It is not always easy to give career advice to young people. In my time, there were virtual paths laid out for youths. Most of them started similarly.

These days, however, it feels like that reality is disappearing in the rear-view.

Go to school. Work hard. Get good grades. Squeeze in admirable activities. Decide what you want to be for the rest of your life. (The last bit was tricky.)

Change in the systems that govern our lives is constant, but lately it seems that social pressures nudging those systems are coming at us harder and faster than usual, and the view on the horizon looks cloudier as well. Meanwhile, technological change seems poised to deliver shocks to the same systems. These duelling social and technological forces have us in a potentially precarious position.

Based on these, people chose a fork in the road that they believed would suit them and then made the best of it, earned a degree and then set off to start their careers. Not everyone had the chance to head down these paths, and many fell off them along the way, but those who managed to stay on them tended to live comfortable lives—at minimum.

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SOCI SOCIAL CIAL AL S SPACE PACE JANU JANUARY ANUARY ARY 2018

NEW SCHOOL

Human work has long been replaced by technology. But from a big picture perspective, it tends to happen in fits and starts. Rather similar to the idea of punctuated equilibrium from biology—in which long periods of relatively slow change are disrupted by “explosions of diversification”1—the economy tends to follow a similar pattern: lengthy bouts of relative stability are broken up by short, frenzied ones wherein the rapid proliferation of new tech upends the labour market. Academics have studied three such industrial revolutions, and many think we are on the leading edge of the fourth.

The First Industrial Revolution occurred when human and animal labour began to be substituted by mechanisation in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Machines like the weaving looms that were attacked by the Luddites took over specific tasks.2 Those machines were relatively inefficient, but they harnessed resources like coal and hydropower, which increased production and drove industrial expansion. Assembly lines powered the Second Industrial Revolution through the late 19th and early 20th centuries as mass production increased manufacturing output.

Machines became integral to the work that was performed.

This coincided with the proliferation of mass transport like trains and steamships which broadened the reach of industry. The Third Industrial Revolution arose towards the end of the 20th century, as mass production gave way to automation and hardware

wedded with software in ways that were increasingly devoid of human intervention. Transport containers and the related infrastructure greatly simplified long-distance shipping while shortening transport times and greatly reducing costs.

Factories tended to close where wages were high, while opening where they were low as economic development chased those new factories and stagnation set in on places where production had left.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution may now be emerging. If really the case, we are on the leading edge, so attempts to define it are probably presumptuous.

That said, so far it appears to be led by a new wave of robotics flexible enough to engage in a wide range of activities. (Some have even learned to cook by watching YouTube videos.)3 This may signal a significant shift for manufacturing, from an environment in which “people work near large, dangerous automated machines to one in which they work alongside—or even with—machines”.4 One recent study found robots were creating negative effects on employment and wages in the US as early as 1990.5 Artificial Intelligence may also be on the cusp of transforming many things; what and how remain to be seen.6 Predictions about the impacts of the Fourth Industrial Revolution run the gamut from utopian futures in which all needs are provided by machines, to dystopian ones in which mass layoffs leave many struggling to survive. (Where any of us see things on that

spectrum probably says more about beliefs and values than any semblance of facts and reason.) Regardless of the level of optimism, the one constant in these views is the great likelihood of significant change.

A study published in 2013 found 47 per cent of all jobs in the US to be in danger of being replaced by technology.7 A follow-on study used the same methodology and found several countries with far greater portions of their workforces at risk.8

A study published in 2013 found

47% of all jobs in the US in danger of being replaced by technology.

Rather than focusing on today’s needs, we should think more about what we might need tomorrow.

What will the purpose be and how will education be delivered? Who will it aim to serve and what sorts of outcomes will it seek?

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 13

The risk of jobs being replaced by automation varies by country

Nigeria

65% OECD Average

57%

77%

Thailand

72%

35%

67%

Argentina

65%

UK

South Africa

China

Ethiopia US

47%

India

85%

69% Risk of job loss to automation; selected countries9 (Source: World Bank Development Report, 2016)

If we are indeed on the path to such change, our schools need to be prepared to react. Things like rethinking educational systems are usually taken on in response to the recognition that what is being done is no longer fit for purpose. While that may be the case in some circumstances, I am not arguing that schools are currently failing us, but rather that they may be in danger of quickly becoming ill-suited to deliver on society’s needs, and that we need to be prepared to adapt. But this time around, rather than focusing on today’s needs, we should think more about what we might need tomorrow. What will the purpose be and how will education be delivered? Who will it aim to serve and what sorts of outcomes will it seek?

It may be natural to want to design the “right” educational system and then set it in plaster; however, the ideas of complexity and emergence suggest a different need. Instead, should we aim to design evolutionary systems that will adapt with the changing circumstances of the systems they are embedded in? If not, would we not merely

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be trying to create something that will likely be short-lived?

One question we ought to ask is: If we truly desire to create something adaptive in nature, how might we go about doing that? Further, what mechanisms could we put in place to ensure that we are keeping up with the needs of students and society in general? Who should be responsible for monitoring changing needs and how much effort should be attributed to keeping offerings current?

There is a need to rethink formats as well. Degree programmes seem likely to be with us for a long time as they serve an important purpose, but should they be the primary focus of our higher education institutions? Many schools offer classes and workshops aimed at larger audiences, but they are often afterthoughts. How

It may be natural to want to design the “right” educational system and then set it in plaster; however, the ideas of complexity and emergence suggest a different need.

Instead, should we aim to design evolutionary systems that will adapt with the changing circumstances of the systems they’re embedded in?

can we leverage the knowledge and expertise embodied in our schools in ways that benefit our communities more broadly?

Setting aside the makeup of our educational systems, one should also consider the sorts

NEW SCHOOL

of academic work required, going forward. How will we monitor the effects of robotics and artificial intelligence on employment and society in general, and what can we recommend to ameliorate negative impacts? Also, what positive “risks” might be available and how can we foster their existence?

If we truly desire to create something adaptive in nature, how might we go about doing that? What mechanisms could we put in place to ensure that we are keeping up with the needs of students and society in general? Who should be responsible for monitoring changing needs and how much effort should be attributed to keeping offerings current?

Each industrial revolution has created major shifts in employment. In the US, jobs in agriculture began to be replaced with mechanisation and steadily dropped until effectively being inconsequential. Mass production brought forth jobs that the age of automation took away. All the while, service jobs were ascendant.

Employment 1900–2000 90

Total US Workforce (%)

80 70 Service

60 50 40

Manufacturing

30 20 10

Agriculture

0 1900

1920

1940

1960

2000

1980

Change in Employment, 1900–2000.

(Source: Atchison, Belcher and Thomsen, “The Economics of Compensation”)10

When jobs are sorted by whether the work is routine, all job growth since 2001 has been in non-routine jobs. Per cent change in jobs, since 2001, 12-month moving average.

25% 20% Non-Routine Manual

15%

Non-Routine Cognitive

10% 5% Routine Cognitive

Jobs: Cognitive vs. Non-Cognitive and Routine vs. Non-Routine.

(Source: Zombrun, “Is Your Job ‘Routine’? If So, It’s Probably Disappearing”)11

Jan-14

Jan-13

Jan-12

Jan-11

Jan-10

Jan-08

Jan-07

Jan-06

Jan-05

Jan-04

Jan-03

Routine Manual

Jan-09

Recession

Jan-01

-15%

Jan-02

-10%

Recession

0% -5%

In recent decades, another shift has occurred within the service sector. Breaking out jobs along two axes reveals an interesting divergence.

We might expect to see more growth in cognitive (thinking work) as opposed to manual labour these days, though that is not the dividing line.

The demarcation in the graph below depends on the nature of the work in terms of its being routine or otherwise. Routine work, whether cognitive or manual, has lost jobs since the beginning of the century, while both categories of non-routine work have seen significant growth in recent years.

Given the steady encroachment of technology into work previously completed by people, is it safe to expect these trends to continue? If so, how should this inform our efforts as we rethink education?

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 15

NEW SCHOOL

The list of things to reconsider is long and varied. The opportunities are great, though the risks of inaction or misplaced efforts are also great. It is, however, time to take a step back and begin a mindful review of our efforts and intentions, so that we might begin to reframe academia to fit future needs. I do not expect it would be easy, but nothing that matters ever is.

knowledge in areas of interest with spending time learning useful skills. I would also suggest that we all set a personal expectation to occasionally reinvent ourselves.

With that as the foundation of one’s outlook, tomorrow’s challenges might appear more like opportunities.

Chris Oestereich is an author, zero-waste consultant, and Director of Publications at Thammasat University’s School of Global Studies in Bangkok, Thailand. He formerly ran zero-waste programmes in the US grocery industry that helped firms reduce costs while improving environmental performance.

Chris has an MBA from Washington University in St Louis, and a Masters in Environmental Management from Harvard University. He can be reached at chris@sgs.tu.ac.th

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER • What is the purpose of education and how is it evolving?

?

?

Going back to where this article started, perhaps the problem with giving advice these days is in trying to do so on yesterday’s terms. Freeing ourselves from this constraint opens possibilities. For my part, I would eschew any discussion of potential careers and instead focus on encouraging people to become lifelong learners— balancing the pursuit of

• Who should have access to it and how should it be made available?

• Why do we deliver education in its current formats? Are any becoming outdated?

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Notes 1

Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), “Punctuated Equilibrium”, PBS website, at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/03/5/l_035_01.html

2

Richard Conniff, “What the Luddites Really Fought Against”, Smithsonian Magazine, March 2011, at http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/what-the-luddites-really-foughtagainst-264412

3

Evan Ackerman, “Robots Learning to Cook by Watching YouTube Videos”, IEEE Spectrum, 2 February 2015, at http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/artificial-intelligence/ robots-learning-to-cook-by-watching-youtube-videos

4

S. Nikolaidis, K. Gu, R. Ramakrishnan and J.A. Shah, “Smarter, Smaller, Safer Robots”, Harvard Business Review, November 2015, at https://hbr.org/2015/11/smarter-smallersafer-robots.

5

Daron Acemoglu and Pascual Restrepo, “Robots and Jobs: Evidence from US Labor Markets”, National Bureau of Economic Research, March 2017, at http://www.nber.org/ papers/w23285

6

Jean-Paul Rodrigue, “The Geography of Transport Systems”, Hofstra University, 2017, at https://people.hofstra.edu/geotrans/eng/ch2en/conc2en/four_industrial_revolutions.html

7

Department of Engineering Science, “New Study Shows Nearly Half of US Jobs At Risk of Computerization”, University of Oxford, September 2013, at http://www.eng.ox.ac.uk/about/ news/new-study-shows-nearly-half-of-us-jobs-at-risk-of-computerisation; Carl Benedikt Frey and Michael A. Osborne, “The Future of Employment: How Susceptible are Jobs to Computerisation?”, Oxford Martin School, 17 September 2013, at http://www.oxfordmartin. ox.ac.uk/downloads/academic/The_Future_of_Employment.pdf

8

Carl Benedikt Frey, Michael A. Osborne and Craig Holmes, “Technology at Work v2.0: The Future is Not What it Used to Be”, Oxford Martin School, January 2016, at http://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/downloads/reports/Citi_GPS_Technology_Work_2.pdf

9

Ibid.

10

Thomas J. Atchison, David W. Belcher and David J. Thomsen, “Chapter 3: The Economics of Compensation”, in Internet Based Compensation Administration (Irvine, CA: Economic Research Institute, 2017), at http://dlc.erieri.com/onlinetextbook/chpt03/text_main.htm

11

Josh Zombrun, “Is Your Job ‘Routine’? If So, It’s Probably Disappearing”, Wall Street Journal, 8 April 2015, at https://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2015/04/08/is-your-job-routine-if-so-itsprobably-disappearing

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 17

FEATURE

BULLY BE GONE What Is Workplace Bullying and Why Does It Matter?

By Lynne Curry

18

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018

BULLY BE GONE

We have all met at least one in the course of our careers. He, or she, is the angry, aggressive bully who insults you to your face and behind your back.

You would expect that at some point they would tire of this behaviour, but bullies thrive on demeaning and belittling you. Meanwhile, being bullied saps your emotional and physical energy until you finally resign from a job you once loved.

BULLYING: A GLOBAL EPIDEMIC Workplace or corporate bullying is certainly real in Singapore, as shown in news reports over recent years,1 but it is an issue not faced by Singaporeans alone. In Australia, a 2016 survey found that as many as half of all Australian employees experience or have experienced bullying during their careers.2 The country, which passed Brodie’s Law3 in 2011, has made bullying—occurring anywhere, whether in the workplace, on social networking sites, or in schools—a serious criminal offence punishable by up to ten years in jail. And in the United States, a 2014 study by the Workplace Bullying Institute revealed that over 37 million workers face “abusive conduct” during their workday and almost 29 million others witness bullying.4 This figure of about 66 million equates to three to four out of every ten workers experiencing bullying.

So what exactly is bullying? What happens in organisations that allow bullying? Why do employers allow it? How can organisations fix this? And what if you only witness bullying?

According to a 2014 study by the Workplace Bullying Institute,

37m

workers face "abusive conduct" during their workday while

We all know rude individuals or those who occasionally lash out at others in stressful situations. Bullies, however, repeatedly and intentionally humiliate or intimidate their targets.

MORE THAN JUST SOMEONE HAVING A BAD DAY We all know rude individuals or those who occasionally lash out at others in stressful situations. Bullies, however, repeatedly and intentionally humiliate or intimidate their targets. To readily identify a bully in action, there must be a consistent pattern of psychological violence and aggressive manipulation against his or her victim(s).

WHAT DISAPPEARS IN A CULTURE OF WORKPLACE BULLYING? The organisations that allow bullying to happen suffer, as do those who work in them. On the individual level, employees who experience or witness bullying lose self-esteem and job satisfaction, while on the company level, the entire organisation will suffer a decline in productivity, staff engagement, work quality, employee loyalty and reputation.

29m witness bullying

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 19

On the individual level, employees who experience or witness bullying lose self-esteem and job satisfaction, while on the company level, the entire organisation will suffer a decline in productivity, staff engagement, work quality, employee loyalty and reputation.

WHAT THRIVES WHEN BULLYING RUNS RAMPANT? Companies that ignore or enable bullying to go on will typically see an increase in employee absenteeism, grievances, turnover, and in more extreme cases, workers’ compensation claims and litigation. Moreover, victims develop feelings of anxiety, depression and angst as a result of their bullying, and these negative psychological impacts can cause a significant dip in their performance at work.

UNDERSTAND WHAT CREATES THE BULLY EXEMPTION With all these negative consequences, one might wonder why some organisations would turn a blind eye to bullying in the first place. This is because in many cases, even though their behaviour damages staff morale and productivity, many workplace bullies are high-achieving individuals who produce good results for the company. This thus leads senior management to perceive them not as bullies, but hard-charging, task-driven characters. It is not surprising, therefore, that when fellow employees speak out against their bullying actions, these protests fall on deaf ears, or are met with responses like, “Say what you will about John, he achieves results.”

Further, many bullies excel at workplace politics, and as the phrase goes, are able to “kiss up even as they kick sideways and down”. This can explain why senior management may seem “blind” to the bully’s destructive behaviours, refuting bullying claims with responses like, “But that’s not the John I know.”

HERE’S WHAT

YOU NEED TO KNOW

Whether you face a bully or suspect one of your employees may be one, there are some things to keep in mind.

You can’t expect a bully to go away on his or her own. Because most bullies are high performers at work, they are valued by the organisation, and believe others will give them what they want if they intimidate or create fear in their targets.

You can’t ignore a bully. Bullies test their potential victims, but that is a test you want to fail. If a bully is convinced that you are an easy target, he will intensify the frequency and scale of his attacks, and the problem can quickly spiral out of control.

You can’t kill them with kindness.

With bullies, niceness fails, because they perceive that as a weakness.

In my book, Beating the Workplace Bully, BULLIES I document seven types of bullies. Recognising these types can help you understand who and what you are up against.

TYPES OF

1. The Angry, Aggressive Jerk, who insults, blames and belittles.

2. The Scorched Earth Fighter, who pulls out

all the stops to win; for this type of bully, it is not enough that he wins; you need to lose.

3. The Silent Grenade, who rules the

workplace because he occasionally explodes so fiercely that others tiptoe around him.

4. The Dr Jekyll, Mr Hyde, who charms those he seeks opportunities from and claws those who get in his way.

5. The Narcissist, who feels entitled to win at all costs.

6. The Wounded Rhino, who acts with calculated malevolence in an effort to dominate others.

7. The Character Assassin, who spreads destructive stories to defame others.

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SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018

BULLY BE GONE

CALL TO

ACTION

What can employers and human resources professionals do to address corporate bullying? The following is a handy checklist to start with.

Assess the Bottomline Impact of Bullying Bullies demoralise employees, while also reducing staff productivity and work quality.

Abusive work environments have serious consequences for employers, including higher turnover and absenteeism rates, as well as increases in medical and workers’ compensation claims. Assess what bullying costs your organisation, and chances are, these are not insignificant.

Create an Anti-Bullying Policy As an employer, if you do not want bullying in your organisation, take definitive steps such as creating a policy that bans or punishes bullying.

This will set a standard for organisational behaviour and create a tool you can use to discipline bullies who violate the policy.

Provide Training Managers and supervisors need to undergo training to master how to prevent and handle bullying. Employees should also be coached on appropriate skills and strategies to handle bullies and verbal confrontation.

Offer Grievance Channelling Organisational leaders can provide targets and those who witness bullying with an effective grievance channel so that they can provide information “up the chain” that bullying is occurring. Leaders can then evaluate the evidence presented, act on what they have learned and provide solutions.

Investigate and Intervene Directly Leaders can investigate allegations of bullying.

If they uncover credible evidence, they can recommend discipline, improvement-oriented coaching or termination.

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 21

BULLY BE GONE

If you remain silent, you let the bully know that you sanction his or her actions, show the target know you do not care enough to act, and give the bully the sense that you fear him or her—potentially positioning yourself as a future target.

WHAT IF YOU ONLY WITNESS, BUT ARE NOT A VICTIM OF BULLYING? If you witness bullying, please understand there is no witness protection. If you remain silent, you let the bully know that you sanction his or her actions, show the target that you do not care enough to act, and give the bully the sense that you fear him or her—potentially positioning yourself as a future target.

For more information, you can check out my book, Beating the Workplace Bully (US$15.25 via Amazon). Published by AMACOM, it is a self-training guide for individuals facing corporate bullying and managers or organisations looking to eradicate bullying. I also created, together with my teammate Rick Birdsall, an employment-attorney-turnedHR-consultant, a website dedicated to wiping out bullying in our lifetime, bullywhisperer.com™.

Additionally, if you have specific questions, you can write to me at Lcurry@avitusgroup.com or email any of our workplace coaches at our free blog, workplacecoachblog.com.

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SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018

Lynne Curry, PhD, SPHR, is the author of Solutions and Beating the Workplace Bully, self-help titles on managing office issues and corporate bullies, respectively. Based in Anchorage, Alaska, she is the founder of the consulting, training, human resources and organisational strategy firm, The Growth Company, Inc., and is Regional Director of Training and Business Consulting for Avitus Group, a US-based co-employment organisation. Lynne is also the founder of two websites: workplacecoachblog.com, an online Q&A platform that provides advice and answers to career-related questions; and bullywhisperer.com™, an anti-bullying blog community that shares experiences, as well as tools, techniques and advice on how to tackle corporate bullying. Beating the Workplace Bully’s Mandarin edition will be published in 2018. Connect with Lynne via Twitter @lynnecurry10 or email her at LCurry@avitusgroup.com

Notes 1

APTN/AFP, “Video Shows Singapore Office Supervisor Assaulting Colleague”, The Telegraph, 22 May 2013, at http://www.telegraph. co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/singapore/10072829/Video-showsSingapore-office-supervisor-assaulting-colleague.html; Nicholas Goh, “Facing Up to Bullies at the Workplace”, The Straits Times, 24 February 2014, at http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/facingup-to-bullies-at-the-workplace; Maureen Koh, “Man Suffers Mental Breakdown after Constant Bullying At Workplace”, The New Paper, 3 May 2015, at http://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/man-suffersmental-breakdown-after-constant-bullying-workplace

2

Robyn Powell, “Half of All Australians Experience Workplace Bullying, Survey Finds”, ABC News, 9 October 2016, at http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-09/half-all-australiansexperience-workplace-bullying-survey-finds/7916230

3

Brodie’s Law is named after Brodie Panlock, a young woman who took her life after being subjected to relentless bullying at her workplace. State Government of Victoria, Department of Justice and Regulation, “Bullying— Brodie’s Law”, at http://www.justice. vic.gov.au/home/safer+communities/crime+prevention/bullying++brodies+law

4

Gary Namie, 2014 WBI U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey (San Francisco Bay Area, CA: Workplace Bullying Institute, 2014), at http://workplacebullying.org/multi/pdf/WBI-2014-US-Survey.pdf

FEATURE

IN GOOD COMPANY

In the Future, Every Business Might Be Social

By Christian Petroske

It sounds like a riddle: why would Coca Cola, one of the biggest soft drinks companies in the world, be investing in a cause to empower five million female entrepreneurs globally by 2020?

It’s true:1 the Coca Cola Company’s initiative, called 5by20, is a forerunning example of a trend sweeping the corporate world. This trend is known by many names, the foremost of which are “shared value”, “inclusive business” or “sustainable business”. Their definitions can seem murky at first, but these terms share a common thread. They sit at the intersection of economy and society, one that could reshape business' role in humanity's future.

Their meaning holds the key to our first question: why would Coca Cola sink so much into such an ambitious corporate social responsibility (CSR) goal?2

The short answer is that Coca Cola found out that their biggest sellers, especially in developing markets, are women who own and operate small-scale neighbourhood markets and grocery stores. Often, these ladies start out of their own homes. Recognising this, the company saw an opportunity— if they could educate these very women in enterprise skills, they could sell more Coca Cola products. The organisation could increase its profits by investing in the feel-good cause of women’s empowerment.

That is the essence of inclusive business: making money by addressing poverty, and by including those who have been excluded by the mainstream market. In other words, it is business to expand access to goods, services, and livelihood opportunities for low-income communities in commercially viable ways.

That is the essence of inclusive business: making money by addressing poverty, and by including those who have been excluded by the mainstream market.

Although Coca Cola’s initiative may seem like a win-win strategy, thinking in this way about business and its potential is entirely foreign to many mainstream corporate leaders.

As some commentators believe, this is especially true in Asia.

Perhaps due to the vagueness of the terms involved—couldn’t “shared value” mean almost anything?—or the fact that it can be tricky to execute, businesses have not taken up the mantle in the way that Coca Cola and some other companies have to bring economic empowerment to the poor while also reaping more profits.

What, then, could be holding organisations back? To answer this, let us first examine the history of business’ attitude towards society in general, which has been much influenced by the sentiments perhaps best championed by NobelPrize-winning economist Milton Friedman. Back in 1970, Friedman argued in a famous article that business’ sole social responsibility was to increase profits.3 Businesses that work towards social and environmental goals would be doing society a disservice, he claimed, because these commitments would constrain them from perfect profit maximisation and prevent markets from operating as smoothly and freely as he thought they should. As a result, not only have many organisations bought fully into the profit maximisation gospel, public companies also seek to maximise shareholder returns on a short-term quarterly basis.

Forty years after Friedman’s paper, Michael E. Porter and

24

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018

Mark R. Kramer declared in their seminal piece4 that “the capitalist system is under siege”, and that businesses have lost the trust of society because they have been “trapped in an outdated approach to value creation”. For examples to support Porter and Kramer’s claims, one need look no further than the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh,5 which put multinational fashion brands Primark and Loblaw under fire; Uber’s ongoing crisis;6 or that of United Airlines.7 These are costly failures resulting from poor management of some factors—typically ignored as “externalities”—that have since been recognised as core to long-term business viability.

Business leaders are beginning to realise that among the factors crucially important for long-term success are brand reputation, social licence to operate, value chain integrity, and the social, environmental and political impacts of product and service decisions.8 On the other hand, focusing only on quarter-by-quarter returns, as it turns out, appears to be a recipe for creating deadly medium- and long-term risk.9 The world is changing and even the most stubborn organisations are starting to recognise the need to change with it. Consumers and investors have more transparency into what companies do and the consequences of their actions; younger workers are facing a more mobile and transparent working environment, so they are enabled to move between jobs more easily; and these same younger workers

IN GOOD COMPANY

are increasingly prioritising meaning10 and flexibility in their work lives alongside money.

Additionally, a recent Edelman study showed that consumers are losing trust in institutions of all kinds, including businesses.11 With the way things are currently going, companies may decide that they cannot afford to look just at short-term profit maximisation if they want to recruit and retain talent, reach and maintain a customer base, keep investors happy, innovate and expand.

Not only that, but according to CSR Asia founder and Chairman Richard Welford, “there is now an overwhelming business case for sustainability and CSR, and it’s been proven through three or four hundred published articles in business and academic journals that show the link between sustainability and the bottom line in various ways.”

Indeed, there is a formidable body of research12 on the topic.

FMCG giant Unilever has found that its sustainable brands are growing at an average of 50 per cent more quickly13 than its other brands. Further, a recent report by the Sustainable Business Commission has calculated that sustainable business models will constitute a US$5 trillion opportunity in Asia alone by 2030.14 So how can businesses carve out a piece of this pie? In the same Sustainable Business Commission report,15 the authors identified the 60 biggest market opportunities related to delivering on the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).16 Opportunities range from serving low-income food markets to providing

better maternal and child health. There are also websites such as sharedvalue.org and Project Breakthrough (http://breakthrough. unglobalcompact.org) dedicated wholly to sharing successful case studies of businesses focused on the SDGs. However, there are some real challenges ahead; for example, in trusting businesses to do what their high-flown language seems to indicate. After all, it is easy to say the right things and use the new terminology of “shared value” or “inclusive business”, without actually changing the core business or making serious investments.

On this point, Eugene Tan, Associate Professor of Law at the Singapore Management University, says, “We also need to distinguish between form and substance”. Tan adds that he

does “not see a clear trend of more companies in Asia using their core business to drive social and environmental impact, in addition to profit”, citing Singapore as “a good example where companies say the ‘right’ things but when you look closely at whether they have changed their way of doing business that accords similar importance to socio-environmental impact and profits, the gap between talk and practice is evident and worrying.”

Tan goes on to stress that without pressure from consumers, there is unlikely to be pressure from investors—and if investors or consumers view CSR merely as a nice-to-have, there will not be meaningful change. He mentions how brands like Panasonic are using terms like “shared value” even when their practices amount to “more of the same, traditional CSR”. Tan notes, however, that while some corporations, especially in China, Korea and

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 25

While some corporations, especially in China, Korea and Japan, are leading the way in terms of socially inclusive business strategy, the vast majority of the Asian business world has yet to catch up.

Japan, are leading the way in terms of socially inclusive business strategy, the vast majority of the Asian business world has yet to catch up.

This begs the question: exactly how is traditional CSR different from inclusive business and shared value? According to Mark Kramer, FSG’s co-founder and Managing Director, they are overlapping.17 However, CSR is “widely perceived as a cost center, not a profit center”, whereas shared value refers to “business opportunities that create new markets, improve profitability, and strengthen competitive positioning”.18 Essentially, CSR is nice, but often viewed by organisations as something extra or peripheral to the core business—when a company gets into trouble, CSR is the first to go. On the other hand, shared value—and by extension, inclusive business— gives companies “skin in the game”. Businesses have more of a stake in these initiatives because they are not just nice-to-haves, but strategies to reach long-term growth and profit goals.

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SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018

In recent years, a few other organisations, besides Coca Cola, seem to be growing initiatives that accomplish the SDGs while growing their bottom lines. One example is Cisco: their Cisco Networking Academy claims to train as many as one million people per year in IT skills. The result?

According to the company, in Cambodia alone, 80 per cent of graduates of their programme found work within three months of graduation and made five times the national average within three years.19 Like Coca Cola’s programme, Cisco’s not only goes beyond checking traditional CSR boxes, but also aligns with business goals—the organisation needs an IT-literate workforce in order to expand into developing economies.

In Cambodia,

80%

of Cisco Network Academy's graduates found work within three months and made five times the national average within three years

And then there is the CJ Group, a South Korean conglomerate, that helps to address poverty and increase incomes among smallholder farmers in Vietnam, while increasing the sustainable supply of chilli peppers for CJ’s food businesses. Another example is Olam, a Singapore-based company that became a leader in specialty coffee by reforesting and conserving forests around its bean production facilities.20 Not forgetting Enel Group, a multinational manufacturer and distributor of electricity and gas, which has gone even further by declaring its intention to be fully carbon-neutral by 2050.21 Welford sees more companies following in their footsteps and continuing to push the envelope. In fact, he asserts that “the future success of business depends on having a very clear social purpose”.

Following Porter and Kramer, Welford believes not only that businesses will increasingly integrate their CSR within their core business, but that the two will become indistinguishable to the point that “companies that don’t have a social purpose will not exist in the future”.

Essentially, CSR is nice, but often viewed by organisations as something extra or peripheral to the core business— when a company gets into trouble, CSR is the first to go.

On the other hand, shared value—and by extension, inclusive business—gives companies “skin in the game”.

IN GOOD COMPANY

By

2050

Enel Group hopes to be fully carbon-neutral.

Christian Petroske is focused on unlocking business’s purpose as an engine for just and sustainable societies. Previously, he was an Assistant Manager at the Lien Centre for Social Innovation, where he drove a diverse range of projects, including the Centre’s capacity-building programmes, courses, and events, and served as contributing editor of Social Space. During this time, he helped launch the inaugural batch of the SMU Impact Accelerator, an accelerator programme for social entrepreneurs. Prior to LCSI, Christian helped Year Up build data-based feedback loops into its core decision-making as Sales Operations and Market Research Fellow, while participating in a selective, applied management training programme through New Sector Alliance’s Residency in Social Enterprise. Christian holds a BA in Sociology with Honours from Brown University, where he wrote an award-winning Honours thesis on feedback and power in social finance. He can be reached at hi@christianpetroske.com

Notes 1

Beth Jenkins, Kara Valikai and Piya Baptista, The Coca-Cola Company’s 5by20 Initiative Empowering Women Entrepreneurs across the Value Chain (Cambridge, MA: CSR Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School and Business Fights Poverty, 2013).

2

World Business Council for Sustainable Development, “About Inclusive Business”, at http://www.inclusive-business.org/inclusive-business.html

3

Milton Friedman, “The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits”, The New York Times Magazine, 13 September 1970.

4

Michael E. Porter and Mark R. Kramer, “Creating Shared Value: How to Reinvent Capitalism—And Unleash a Wave of Innovation and Growth”, Harvard Business Review (January–February 2011), at https://myhbp.org/leadingedge/d/ cla?&c=24811&i=25967&cs=e3c4e5ddc7e9cb91d18872a098ee63b6

5

The Economist, “Disaster at Rana Plaza”, The Economist, 4 May 2013, at https://www. economist.com/news/leaders/21577067-gruesome-accident-should-make-all-bosses-thinkharder-about-what-behaving-responsibly

6

Sam Shead, “UBER in Crisis: How a String of High-Profile Problems Led to Uber’s Worst Possible Start to 2017”, Business Insider, 20 March 2017, at http://www.businessinsider.com/ uber-in-crisis-timeline-2017-3/?IR=T

7

Alanna Petroff, “United Airlines Shows How to Make a PR Crisis a Total Disaster”, CNN, 11 April 2017, at http://money.cnn.com/2017/04/11/news/united-passenger-pr-disaster/index.html

However, the clock is ticking: to meet the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, there are serious commitments.

And if the forecasts of climate scientists the world over are any indication, we are running out of time to take action to avert unprecedented global catastrophe.22

8

Tensie Whelan and Carly Fink,"The Comprehensive Business Case for Sustainability", Harvard Business Review, 21 October 2016, at https://hbr.org/2016/10/the-comprehensive-business-casefor-sustainability

9

Sean Silverthorne, “The High Risks of Short-Term Management”, Harvard Business School Working Knowledge, 11 April 2012, at http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/the-high-risks-of-short-termmanagement

10

Stephanie Turner, “Analysis: The Millennial Majority Is Transforming Your Culture”, Deloitte.com, at https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/millennialmajority-transforming-culture.html

11

Edelman, “2017 Edelman TRUST BAROMETER Reveals Global Implosion of Trust: CEO Credibility at Lowest Level Ever”, Edelman.com, 15 January 2017, at http://www.edelman.com/ news/2017-edelman-trust-barometer-reveals-global-implosion

12

Archie B. Carroll and Kareem M. Shabana, “The Business Case for Corporate Social Responsibility: A Review of Concepts, Research and Practice”, International Journal of Management Reviews 12, 1 (March 2010): 85–105, at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ doi/10.1111/j.1468-2370.2009.00275.x/full

The consensus is that businesses have a huge role to play, though it remains to be seen if they—especially those in certain parts of Asia—will step up and seize the trillion-dollar opportunities in good time.

13

Leonie Roderick, “Unilever’s Sustainable Brands Grow 50% Faster Than the Rest of the Business”, Marketing Week, 18 May 2017, at https://www.marketingweek.com/2017/05/18/ unilever-sustainable-brands-growth

14

Business Commission, “Sustainable Businesses Can Unlock US$5 Trillion in New Market Value in Asia by 2030”, BusinessCommission.com, 5 June 2017, at http://businesscommission.org/ news/sustainable-businesses-can-unlock-us-5-trillion-in-new-market-value-in-asia-by-2030

15

Ibid.

16

United Nations, “Sustainable Development Goals: 17 Goals to Transform Our World”, UN.org, at http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals

17

Mark Kramer, “CSR vs. CSV—What’s the Difference?”, FSG.org, 18 February 2011, at http:// www.fsg.org/blog/csr-vs-csv-what%E2%80%99s-difference

18

Ibid.

19

CISCO, “Case Study: Passerelles Numériques Cambodia—Changing the Cycle of Poverty into a Cycle of Success”, CSR.CISCO.com, at http://csr.cisco.com/casestudy/networking-academycambodia

20

CSR Asia, Agribusiness in ASEAN: Making the Case for Smallholder Inclusion—An Analysis of Ten Agricultural Private Sector Actors Who Have Adopted Responsible and Inclusive Approaches to Smallholder Producers (UK, Hong Kong and Sweden: Oxfam, CSR Asia and Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, 2017), at http://www.csr-asia.com/ report/GRAISEA_Smallholder_Case_Studies_2017.pdf

21

Enel, “Climate Strategy”, in Sustainability Report 2015, Enel.com, at http://sustainabilityreport2015. enel.com/en/responsible-management-business/environment/climate-strategy#start

22

David Wallace-Wells, “The Uninhabitable Earth: Famine, Economic Collapse, a Sun That Cooks Us: What Climate Change Could Wreak—Sooner Than You Think”, New York Magazine, 9 July 2017, at http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/07/climate-change-earth-too-hot-forhumans.html

CONCLUSION Will businesses across Asia more fully embrace inclusive business and shared value, not just in talk but also in action?

If consumers and investors— the key stakeholders in any business—remain uninterested in getting onboard, then prospects may remain bleak for a while.

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 27

CONVERSATIONS

RECONCILING THE DIVIDE A Chat with Bill Drayton on Social Inclusion

By Tamara Prabhakar

By Tamara Prabhakar

Within the confines of day-to-day routines, it is often diďŹƒcult to cognitively grasp the exponential rate at which the social and industrial sectors are changing.

In recent years, the rising prominence of social entrepreneurship is trending as an evolved, levelling collaborative model for solving social problems more effectively than traditionally rigid hierarchical structures of management. Social entrepreneurs hold the distinct ability to innovate and form novel solutions based on their first-hand cultural knowledge and experiences rather than from popular generalised perceptions or indirect comprehension of situations from diffused information.

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SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018

RECONCILING THE DIVIDE

According to William “Bill” Drayton, an esteemed pioneer of social entrepreneurship, the key to preserving the value of social contributions in this era of rapid change is to empower and train more people at the execution level to have the ability to realise these valuable solutions for themselves. The tagline and mission of Ashoka, Drayton’s founded social enterprise, perfectly summarise this idea as “everyone a changemaker”.

In other words, anyone who develops empathetic capabilities and relevant social skills can craft tailored resolutions based on their mutual understanding and investment in the challenge or issue at hand. Ashoka foremost seeks to foster and disseminate this inclusive approach through its evergrowing interconnected network of international fellows serving as role models, and educational curricula aimed at instilling empathetic and changemaking practices in the rising generations.

On Thursday 15 June 2017, the Lien Centre for Social Innovation partnered with Ashoka’s Singapore branch to host Bill Drayton at the Singapore Management University, Asia’s first designated Changemaker Campus, for his talk about patterns of change and the power amassed from youth engagement and leadership.

Afterward, he visited the Lien Centre to chat with TAMARA PRABHAKAR on his thoughts about social inclusion and its pertinence to the greater empowerment movement.

TP: Bill, I’d like to hear your views on social inclusion. Do you see more “changemaking” efforts by society to become more inclusive of groups that are inherently or systematically disadvantaged?

BD: I’m going to quote a 15-yearold young lady from Philadelphia who was at a youth venture meeting in Washington. She said, “People should understand that it is neither gender nor race, but rather if you are a changemaker that determines whether you will be a success or a failure in life.”

That’s exactly it. The new division is between those people who see and play in the game of the ever-changing world, and those who don’t. Therefore, you have to be a changemaker—everyone has to be one—or you’re out of the game. There are also people who are not out of the game; however, because they don’t see the new environment and don't have the skills to play in it, we are having the world diverge at the moment. Presently, we have fundamentalism, Trumpism and other sorts of things, because there are many people jumping off the edge and correctly feeling unwelcomed versus those who are able to play in this new game change. It is a very sophisticated interconnected world, and you need everyone to be able to see the opportunities, jump on them and come together in new teams.

You get a new team if you don’t repeat for ten years; hence, it starts changing immediately, requiring a very subtle, fastmoving set of skills. So many people have no idea that this is the new game, let alone have the skills to thrive, so there is a bidding war. Salaries go up and up for the people who are good at this, and the others are just

Our job (as changemakers) is to ensure people are not excluded, positively meaning everyone—not just everyone in the elite— is a changemaker.

dropping off the edge. So this is the new division, and it is not getting better. Our job (as changemakers) is to ensure people are not excluded, positively meaning everyone— not just everyone in the elite—is a changemaker. We all have the power from the gift of being able to give. We can do that, and all humans become part of a brain-like structure where we are all connected to one another and constantly developing the semantic architecture to make that possible. Alternatively, we could end up with some people playing that game and a whole bunch of other people that are out and know that they’re out.

They know that we don’t want them in, and they are very angry and upset. This results in a deeply divided society, which is the recent state of affairs you can see happening everywhere.

I just came from Indonesia, and its Gini coefficient has just gone from 30 to over 40. That’s pretty radical. Why do you think that’s been happening? The economy has been growing at a solid six per cent a year, which is much faster than population growth, and the income pattern

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 29

There is a danger that today’s vulnerable, marginalised communities will be the last to see the new game and therefore last to develop the necessary skills. If we don’t intervene actively to prevent this, we will end up with a society that is deeply divided and angry.

is diverging. The same thing is happening everywhere. There are other forms of people being excluded, but this is a deep one that affects most people.

TP: You’ve described today’s society as one based on innovation rather than repetition. Is there room for vulnerable, marginalised communities in this new landscape, and how can we move forward as a more inclusive society?

BD: As mentioned, everyone can be a changemaker. Ashoka Fellows all across the world have demonstrated that in implementing thousands of different models with millions of people. The poorest of the poor in rural Bangladesh can, beginning in first grade, make this change and emerge in their early teens as confident changemakers.

We are all born with these biological capacities. However, they have to be developed and practised. And they must fit into a society that welcomes and

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reinforces them. There is a danger that today’s vulnerable, marginalised communities will be the last to see the new game and therefore last to develop the necessary skills. If we don’t intervene actively to prevent this, we will end up with a society that is deeply divided and angry.

TP: What role do social entrepreneurs then play in fostering greater social inclusion and how would you measure the social impact of these positive contributions?

BD: First, when someone is a changemaker (i.e., a giver), they know that they have power.

From that point on, there is no social exclusion. Every leading social entrepreneur is a role model, and the construct “social entrepreneur” empowers many people across the world to know that it is practical and honoured to care and to organise—to be a changemaker.

Second, the way social entrepreneurs spread their ideas makes them mass recruiters and facilitators of

local changemakers—who, in turn, become role models and recruiters of other changemakers. The typical social entrepreneur has a small or modest-sized organisation and a huge movement of local people in community after community who recognise an idea that the entrepreneur has made simple and understandable and safe. And those people, thus encouraged, stand up to make the social entrepreneur’s idea fly in their own communities.

These are the most important ways social entrepreneurs can bring about dramatically greater social inclusion.

Many of them, of course, also work on it directly.

For example, roughly 1,000 of the 3,800 Ashoka Fellows work with kids. A great number of them put kids in charge. In doing so, these youth are on their way to becoming changemakers, to getting their power at the most important time, their early teens.

RECONCILING THE DIVIDE

1,000 3,800 of the

Every leader of any organisation needs to understand that they must quickly guide their group to become a fluid, open team of teams that welcomes individual changemakers. And policy must make this easy and fight against any group being left behind.

Ashoka Fellows work with kids

Additionally, there are the Fellows who work against particular forms of disempowerment, such as gender or other forms of discrimination.

TP: So how do you envision Ashoka—more specifically the youth empowerment movement—contributing to efforts for greater social inclusion in the future?

BD: If every young person knows he or she has the power, there is not going to be an exclusion. That means that every school, youth programme

and workplace with young people has to have an “everyone a changemaker” culture, so that every young person is a giver who knows they can change the world. It’s very straightforward, and we have had that experience: we’ve seen school systems over many towns just shift, and when you do, you don’t have people who are left behind.

And there are yet others who work against corruption and for human rights.

Can you imagine any group that has a bigger impact on making inclusion universal?

TP: Do you think greater social inclusion is achieved at the policy level or at the individual level?

BD: You need both! Every individual has to see and seize the new opportunities. However, we have to make sure that every young person has this opportunity, and that every parent understands what is now essential for growing up so they can be good parents.

Every leader of any organisation needs to understand that they must quickly guide their group to become a fluid, open team of teams that welcomes individual changemakers. And policy must make this easy and fight against any group being left behind.

Hailing from Texas, USA, Tamara Prabhakar is a rising junior at the University of Pennsylvania, with a major in Science, Technology, and Society, and double minors in Consumer Psychology and Fine Arts. Eager to gain exposure to social issues in Southeast Asia and to participate in a variety of socially oriented projects both inside and outside the classroom, Tamara joined the Lien Centre for Social Innovation as a Summer Associate (Editorial).

She is also is a lead editor of IMPACT, a UPenn-based magazine with a mission to promote community involvement and effect social change on multiple scales.

Tamara hopes to capitalise on the power of technology to drive and reinvent social impact in the future. She can be reached at tpra@sas.upenn.edu

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 31

CONVERSATIONS

SPECIAL DELIVERY An Afternoon with Three Ladies behind Mamre Oaks

By Han-Peng Ho and Trang Luu Photography by Gilbert Chua

Initiatives and groups vested in promoting the well-being of people with disabilities have been on the rise in Singapore—many focus on the school-going age group, with a smaller number catering to adults with disabilities. Besides raising awareness for a more inclusive society, such organisations often provide meaningful social engagement, skills training, employment opportunities and/or caregiver support for their membership and the larger community.

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Mamre Oaks, a non-profit organisation and member organisation of Caritas Singapore, accepts members with intellectual disabilities, and who are aged 18 and above. With its mission to empower persons with intellectual disabilities to lead lives of meaning, dignity and fulfillment, Mamre Oaks seeks to create an environment where members are welcomed, respected and valued regardless of their disabilities and differences. To find out more, HAN-PENG HO and TRANG LUU had a chat with a few of its board members at their premises in Agape Village along Lorong 8 Toa Payoh.

SPECIAL DELIVERY

HPH: Tell us about your founding journey: what brought you together to start Mamre Oaks?

MY: The seed was planted over a decade ago when Geraldine, Diana and I first joined Faith & Light, a Catholic-based community founded in France

by Jean Vanier, who was also the founder of the first L’Arche residence for adults with intellectual disabilities. We met people whose children have intellectual disabilities, and these parents shared the challenges that their grown-up children specifically faced. Many adults with disabilities do not have friends, and although they all need and desire to be active and meaningfully engaged, most of them do not find such opportunities after leaving school. This is why we started Mamre Oaks—named after the Biblical site where Abraham provided hospitality to three angels who delivered miraculous news that his wife Sarah would be with child—to be a place where there is hospitality, nourishment and growth.

Many adults with disabilities do not have friends, and although they all need and desire to be active and meaningfully engaged, most of them do not find such opportunities after leaving school.

TL: Mamre Oaks’ members are referred to as Special Persons (SPs). What sorts of programmes do you offer your SPs? DL: Other centres catering to people with disabilities are

more work-focused, that is, they train their members for work and open employment, and organise workshops on how to choose jobs. Our work, in contrast, is more empathy- and activity-based, with a range of programmes in which employment-readiness is but one dimension. SPs’ attention spans can be quite short and they need a lot of encouragement, so just asking them to sit and do nothing but work is not feasible. Some of our member activities include music, cooking, dancing, baking, landscaping and yoga.

HPH: How do you manage to run this range of programmes with a relatively lean team?

MY: We depend on divine providence! [Laughs] Actually, being housed in Agape Village is a big plus for us, because we can run a centre with all the necessary facilities situated under one roof. We have a baking room, a cooking room, a dance studio and multiple halls where we can organise our yoga classes. We also collaborate with other organisations in the Village and share our resources. For example, ABLE (Abilities Beyond Limitations and Expectations) has a van and can provide transportation for some of our members.

Besides the physical resources, we have the benefit of being part of Caritas and drawing from its volunteer management programme. Basically anyone who wants to volunteer can approach Caritas, which would then look to match volunteer interests and organisational needs. From this, we have a healthy pool of interested and committed volunteers

directed to us, and we are able to maintain a good memberto-volunteer ratio. The commitment and consistency of the volunteers is good for our members—they are reassured to know that this person comes regularly to the centre at this or that time. We also have what we call specialist volunteers, who help conduct yoga or music classes, and are actively on the lookout for someone to start a line dance activity!

HPH: How do you choose the kinds of programmes to offer?

GS: We mostly choose programmes that are fun and free!

DL: They is also plenty of craftwork, like cross-stitching, with the assistance of volunteers or which SPs can take home to do.

MY: We have yet to explore the feasibility of outdoor sports activities. One of the greatest challenges with our SPs is that they are sedentary, and don’t like to be out under the sun for long. Whenever I ask them to water the rooftop vegetable garden, they’d say, “It’s raining!” or give other excuses. However, going forward, we really want to find ways to encourage SPs to be more outdoorsy.

TL: Any particular activity that has brought families together?

GS: After a four-month art therapy programme, our art intern curated all the pieces and organised an art exhibition. That was really wonderful. We were very happy because the event got families of SPs interested in what they were doing. Our SPs themselves were also very excited about the exhibition—

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(L to R) Geraldine, Magdelene and Diana outside Mamre Oaks’ office, housed within Agape Village

one of them went home and said to his family members, “This is happening, please come!” and he was so pleased when his mother, brothers and nieces came to show support.

HPH: Could you share with us the profile of your members?

What sorts of intellectual disabilities do they have?

DL: We work with adults— mostly aged 18 and above—with cerebral palsy, Crohn’s disease, Down syndrome, Williams syndrome, Cornelia de Lange, dwarfism and autism, to name a few. Some of them can’t even draw or write their own names, so we need to hold their hands to help them to do so.

TL: What are some ways in which Mamre Oaks’ SPs have benefitted from your programmes—do you have any stories to share?

MY: We have, under our care, a girl who was initially able to function quite well and even graduated from special education school, but eventually regressed because her parents decided to keep her at home.

When she first came to Mamre

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Oaks, she was always slumped in a foetal position and refused to look up to make eye contact with any of us. Every time we wanted to do something with her, we had to coax her and tilt our heads to look at her.

However, after a year, she gradually felt more comfortable and was able to look us in the eye and respond. She even sang a song in our music session!

Then, just two or three weeks ago, she suddenly stood up and walked to the toilet on her own. Everybody just stopped to exclaim, “She walks! She’s walking to the toilet on her own!” That got even the other SPs excited [laughs]! These were the milestones that truly marked her progress.

GS: Because we are such a small group, whenever someone does anything different, everyone will rejoice.

HPH: In what ways has Mamre Oaks supported the families of its members?

DL: When the parents of our members first came here, many of them had to be around their children constantly in order to encourage them to engage in our activities. However, after a few months, they were able to leave them in our care, with peace of mind, and return to work.

MY: This helps them out financially too—with their children placed at Mamre Oaks during the day, it frees the parents up to work and support the family. Additionally, they get some much needed respite and personal time for themselves.

TL: Is it helpful that SPs spend some time of their days outside their homes and away from their families?

MY: Yes. Over here, they can pick up essential independence skills and learn to take care of themselves. Their engagement in activities and social relationships can also keep them from regressing and developing depression, which commonly occurs as they age.

HPH: Do the SPs form close relationships with one another, as well as with your staff and volunteers?

MY: Definitely. With them here every weekday, the SPs can easily form a community and get to know one another.

Relationships are key to us here at Mamre Oaks, and we try to foster a nurturing community where SPs can create and maintain meaningful bonds with both fellow members and staff/volunteers.

GS: We’re like family. Recently, some SPs started to call Joseph, our Centre Manager, “Godpa”.

MY: We share the belief that everybody is unique. Like anybody else, people with disabilities crave relationships and love. In fact, with their intellectual disabilities, SPs have a greater capacity than most for love and friendship.

In their openness, we see the beauty of the human spirit.

HPH: Let’s switch gears a bit and talk about inclusion, or inclusiveness. What is your vision of social inclusion, especially with regard to people with intellectual disabilities?

GS: To me, it is as simple as listening to what others have to say and respecting their opinions. Whenever we want to do something with our members, the first thing we do is ask for and listen to their

SPECIAL DELIVERY

Like anybody else, people with disabilities crave relationships and love. In fact, with their intellectual disabilities, SPs have a greater capacity than most for love and friendship. In their openness, we see the beauty of the human spirit. thoughts. Our conversations with SPs are no different from those between you and me— instead of dismissing them simply as “intellectually disabled persons”, we place great importance in hearing what they are trying to say.

MY: It’s important to give them a voice. I have a 27-year-old son, Sebastian, who has intellectual abilities. To me, it is crucial that Sebastian be included in as many activities as possible. Even though he is not a member of Mamre Oaks, I still bring him to a few inclusive activities which we run with special needs persons here. Generally, I want him and our members to do whatever a regular person can do, such as running marathons or going to concerts. In fact, Sebastian will join the Standard Chartered marathon in December!

Another key factor is more exposure to society. We encourage students wanting to obtain a Community Involvement Programme (CIP) certificate to participate in Mamre Oaks’ various activities and engage with our members. I believe that if young children are exposed to people with disabilities (whether physical or intellectual), they will be better able to understand and appreciate the potential of such individuals. And as these kids go on to become adults and

employers, they would be more willing to offer jobs to persons with special needs.

TL: Do you have a sense that society is becoming more accepting of people with special needs?

MY: Singapore as a society still has some ways to go in that regard, but I have seen progress in recent years. These days, unlike even a decade ago, members of the public don’t recoil in fear when they see someone with a developmental disability, such as autism.

Singaporeans today are less likely to shy away from those with special needs even though they seem “different”. On the bus or train, it is quite common to see SPs—some will be talking

to themselves—but people around them are calm and cool about it. In the past, I would see mothers grabbing their children and running away because they were so scared [of SPs]. I think this sense of fear and confusion stemmed from a lack of understanding and exposure. But ever since more intellectually disabled people are becoming open about their conditions and we have more activities that include them, the public is better informed and more empathetic.

A particular case comes to mind: a pregnant lady, who is quite advanced in her years, confided in me that she was afraid that she might give birth to a child with Down syndrome.

Geraldine Szeto, Board Chair of Mamre Oaks, is a registered member of the Singapore Association for Counsellors and the Life Direction Singapore.

She is also an associate of Holding Space, serving in private training and counselling practice, specialising in mental health, bereavement and loss, recovery and growth, and adolescence and family. Since 2001, Geraldine has been a member of Faith & Light, an international community of families and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Magdelene Yip, Board Secretary of Mamre Oaks, is currently a business owner. An accountancy graduate of the National University of Singapore, she worked in the stock equity and research industry until her retirement in 2010. Magdelene is married with three children, of which the eldest is a son with intellectual disabilities. She is also a member of the Faith & Light community.

Diana Low is Board Treasurer of Mamre Oaks.

Prior to joining Mamre Oaks, she was affiliated with L’Arche Community, a residential community for people with and without disability. During this time, Diana worked and lived in a L’Arche Community in Canberra, Australia, for two and a half years, and also spent a year in L’Arche Preston, in the UK. She previously worked as an Instructor/Training Officer at the Association for Persons with Special Needs, Delta Seniors School, MINDS and Touch Centre for Independent Living. Like Geraldine and Magdelene, Diana is a member of the Faith & Light community.

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 35

SPECIAL DELIVERY

instead of actually hiring them.

While big firms might have the infrastructure and resources in place to adopt inclusive practices, the smaller companies are the ones that are more hesitant to take the first step.

Another shot of Geraldine, Diana and Magdelene at Agape Village’s rooftop garden

TL: How has the experience of working with SPs helped you grow as an individual and a professional?

However, after some time, she began to realise that even if her baby were to have a birth defect or a disability, it would still be fine, and she could accept that possibility. I don’t know what exactly helped her overcome her fears and accept future possibilities, but it gave me hope that there is less of a stigma attached to people with disabilities.

GS: I think I’ve grown as a person in the sense that I just accept people for who they are.

It doesn’t matter whether they are high-ability or low-ability, or whether they can talk and write well. My connections with SPs help me see people not for what they project onto the external world. After working closely with them, I can look deeply into people’s hearts and truly connect with them.

HPH: What advice would you give to employers, service staff and the general public to help them be in a better position to understand disabled people?

MY: My journeys with both Sebastian (as a parent) and Mamre Oaks (as a professional) have given me a lot of hope.

I no longer view having a child with special needs as a painful and bitter adversity, but as something which can bring me immeasurable hope and joy.

I’m also beginning to see

MY: One of the areas that employers need to pay more attention to is better resources, both for themselves and for disabled people. They need to be empowered in order to be willing to employ people with special needs. I’m quite sure that many organisational leaders would like to help and provide work for the disabled, but many of these special needs persons are often unable to retain their jobs because they cannot cope with the workload or the pressure.

Many bosses tend to find all of it too much of a hassle, and worry about disabled people lowering their businesses’ productivity levels—often, companies would rather donate a sum to charities supporting disabled individuals

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Often, companies would rather donate a sum to charities supporting disabled individuals instead of actually hiring them.

While big firms might have the infrastructure and resources in place to adopt inclusive practices, the smaller companies are the ones that are more hesitant to take the first step.

Han-Peng and Trang Luu in the midst of discussion with Geraldine, Magdelene and Diana; moderating the session is Eunice Rachel Low, Social Space’s Deputy Editor

Sebastian through a different lens and appreciate his potential.

It has been a life-changing experience for me.

Han-Peng Ho is a Programme Manager at the Lien Centre for Social Innovation, where he works on research projects, partnerships and a variety of capacity-building initiatives. Current projects include a sociotech business plan competition; an executive training programme for C-suite leaders of nonprofits and social enterprises; and a regional study examining the role of higher education institutions in the social entrepreneurship ecosystem. Han is interested in a broad spectrum of socioeconomic and cultural issues, some of which relate to social organisation and innovation, the development and transmission of various forms of capital, and the practice and outcomes of education. He can be reached at hpho@smu.edu.sg Originally from Vietnam, Trang Luu was a Summer Associate (Editorial) at the Lien Centre for Social Innovation. She is a junior at the University of Pennsylvania, where she majors in English with a concentration in Literary Theory and Cultural Studies. As a former research assistant at Write4Change— an educational project with a focus on socially conscious writing—she studied communication practices among adolescents in global writing communities.

Trang’s summer stint at the Lien Centre married her interests in editing and publishing to her belief in the potential of the humanities as a catalyst for impact. She can be reached at trangluu@sas.upenn.edu

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SPOTLIGHT FOOD FOR THOUGHT

IN ALL FAIRNESS Two Decades of CEDAW and the State of Gender Equality in Singapore

By Chong Ning Qian

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IN ALL FAIRNESS

In an inclusive society, all women would have equal opportunities as men to participate socially, politically and economically. They would be valued and recognised as individuals in their own right and not primarily defined by their marital and reproductive status.

Has this been achieved in Singapore?

Contrary to common belief, the nation still has some ways to go in this regard, for significant groups of women in Singapore continue to be marginalised and disadvantaged.

60.4% of female labour force participation (2016)

78%

of prime working-age woman aged between 25 and 54 cited family responsibilities as the main reason for being outside the labour force

WOMEN, “THE FAMILY” AND CAREGIVING Stereotypes about females are shaped largely in relation to their roles in the family, particularly the heterosexual nuclear family which is historically underpinned by a set of unequal gender relations and reproduces a gendered division of labour. Women were and are still largely the primary caregivers while men are the primary breadwinners.

Despite increasing levels of education among Singaporean women, the female labour force participation (60.4 per cent in 2016) is low compared to other OECD countries.1 Females form 64 per cent of residents outside the labour force, and 78 per cent of prime working-age women

WHAT IS

CEDAW? • Stands for the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

• Adopted in 1979 by the United Nations General Assembly, it is an international treaty that defines what constitutes discrimination against women and what governments should do to end such discrimination.

• Since being instituted on 3 September 1981, it has been ratified by 189 states, including Singapore in 1995.

• The Convention defines discrimination against women as “… any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field.”

• CEDAW provides the basis for ensuring women’s equal access to, and equal opportunities in, political and public life—including the right to vote and to stand for election—as well as education, health and employment.

The implementation of CEDAW is monitored by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women formed by human rights experts from 23 countries.

Sources: Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Convention_on_the_Elimination_of_All_Forms_of_ Discrimination_Against_Women); Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations website (http://www.scwo.org.sg/resources/cedaw)

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 39

The undervaluation of “women’s work” and the gender gap in caregiving and the workplace have significant repercussions on women’s financial security, particularly in old age, since they have fewer opportunities to accumulate resources during their prime working ages.

aged 25 to 54 cite family responsibilities as the main reason for being outside the labour force.

These women generally do not return after leaving the labour force, resulting in the lack of an “M” curve for female labour force participation rate.2 For countries with an “M” curve, such as Japan and South Korea, women leave the labour force in their childbearing years (forming the first downward curve), but they return to work after a number of years before dropping out again in old age (thus forming the second curve).

Women’s inclusion in the economy at all levels is affected by the gendered division of labour— from being unable to enter paid employment in the first place, to having to compromise on career advancements because of inadequate support in fulfilling their caregiving responsibilities.

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Treating caregiving and household responsibilities as “women’s work” is particularly problematic because such work is grossly undervalued.

Women are expected to carry out these tasks without compensation or protection of their financial security, because it is seen as their “natural” duty to do so.

The undervaluation of “women’s work” and the gender gap in caregiving and the workplace have significant repercussions on women’s financial security, particularly in old age, since they have fewer opportunities to accumulate resources during their prime working ages.

There is a need to reduce the burden on women from having to choose between paid employment and caregiving, and this can happen in the following ways: equalising responsibilities between genders; greater state provision of caregiving services; better support for informal family caregivers; and policies to help working adults better manage paid employment and caregiving.

Suggestions to financially compensate family caregivers or for greater state involvement in providing care services are sometimes regarded as undermining traditional values of filial piety and family relations. These fears, however, are unsubstantiated. Instead, there is evidence that with more state provision and support in caregiving, the total quantity of care received increases, and the emotional closeness of the relations between generations in the family is not negatively affected.3

IN ALL FAIRNESS

SINGLE MOTHERS Stereotyping of women also means that their role as mothers is only recognised and valued in the context of the heterosexual, nuclear family.

For example, access to certain public resources, notably housing, is tied to marital status; and women who are single parents—who also form the bulk of single parents—face discriminatory policies that do not recognise their needs and rights as mothers.

A 2016 AWARE study found that single mothers, particularly low-income ones, have trouble accessing public housing.4 Several restrictions also disadvantage divorced mothers in particular: unless they have full care and control of all their children, divorcees are barred from renting from the Housing and Development Board (HDB)—the state provider of public housing in Singapore—for three months, and from purchase of subsidised housing for three years after the disposal of their matrimonial flat. This pushes them into the costly open rental market or into staying with other family members. As a result, they experience frequent moves, overcrowding and extra pressure from having to deal with the instability of their housing arrangements, on top of having to be both the sole caregiver and breadwinner.

In recent years, there have been moves to equalise the treatment of mothers, such as granting all mothers entitlement to the full 16-week paid maternity leave. However, women who have children outside of marriage, as well as their children, continue to be disadvantaged in some legal and policy areas. The offspring of unwed mothers, considered “illegitimate”, are unable to make inheritance claims from their biological fathers, and are able to inherit from their mother’s estate (absent a will) only if the mother does not otherwise have legitimate children. Further, unmarried mothers do not qualify for tax reliefs that other married, working mothers are entitled to. Under public housing policies, unwed mothers and their children are not recognised as a family nucleus, greatly limiting their housing options.

Single mothers also face stigma, moral policing and judgement. Unmarried mothers I have spoken to expressed that they often felt singled out and shamed when interacting with government agencies. One was embarrassed when the officer

attending to her repeatedly exclaimed, “I don’t know what to do about your case. I don’t know how to key into the system. In my 20 years here, I have never come across a case like yours.” Another had asked an officer why unmarried mothers do not get tax reliefs, and received this reply: “Many unwed mothers already don’t earn enough, so they don’t need (the tax relief).” When the same lady continued to question the discriminatory policies, the officer said,"That’s your choice.

You wanted to give birth."

On the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s website, we can read Nominated Member of Parliament Mr Kok Heng Leun’s parliamentary questions to the Minister for Social and Family Development, namely: a. Which are the areas in law, policy and decision-making by Government agencies and schools, that make a distinction between ‘legitimate’ and ‘illegitimate’ children; and b. What are the differences in outcomes for ‘legitimate’ and ‘illegitimate’ children and their parents in each of these areas?5 To which the Minister replied that “Government benefits that support the growth and development of children are given to all Singaporean children, regardless of their legitimacy status.” However, his concluding words were: Where benefits or laws differentiate on legitimacy status, they reflect the Government’s desire to promote strong marriages.

Parenthood within marriage is the desired and prevailing social norm, which we want to continue to promote as this is key to having strong families.6

In recent years, there have been moves to equalise the treatment of mothers, such as granting all mothers entitlement to the full 16-week paid maternity leave. However, women who have children outside of marriage, as well as their children, continue to be disadvantaged in some legal and policy areas.

Social Space JANUARY 2018 41

However, notwithstanding the state’s desire to promote what it describes as “desired and prevailing social norms” (though these are contested) through differential treatment in policies, a society that truly respects the rights of women should not make them secondary to ideology—in this case, the ideology of what makes a family and what women’s roles ought to be.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE? Having ratified the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1995, Singapore is obliged to ensure that women have equal access to opportunities in areas such as employment, healthcare, education and politics.

CEDAW is a powerful instrument for citizens and residents to hold states accountable to its commitment to gender equality. The Singapore government is to provide periodic updates to the CEDAW committee on its progress, while non-governmental groups are also encouraged to send a Shadow Report to give a more comprehensive picture of the situation. This year, AWARE is part of a coalition of NGOs that will submit the Shadow Report and answer to the committee in Geneva.

The community, civil society and individuals each play important roles in the fight for gender equality. The state, however, is in a unique and powerful position to take the lead in this. It has the power to educate and reshape an entire generation’s perceptions of gender, to enact laws and policies to end discrimination and meaningfully push for the inclusiveness of women in every arena.

The issues of gender stereotyping, unequal division of responsibilities between genders in the family, undervaluation of women’s work and discrimination on the basis of other factors affecting women identified here are all in violation of CEDAW principles. The sort of thinking that these policies embody goes beyond these specific areas, however, and informs the approach of decision-makers in every field of policy and society. A more coordinated and dedicated response from the government is thus needed to ensure the fundamental issue of gender inequality is systematically addressed in every arena and at every level.

To this end, it is important to note that we are missing the necessary, formal structures to at least recognise and define discrimination and gender equality. At the highest level, Singapore’s Constitution does not prohibit discrimination based on sex or gender. The highest court has stated that the Constitution forbids only discrimination on grounds listed explicitly in Article 12(2) thereof: “religion, race, descent, or place of birth”. Formal equality before the law under Article 12(1) may apply regardless of sex or gender, but it is not equivalent to a substantive guarantee of non-discrimination on the basis of sex or gender. In other words, there is no formal protection from discrimination on the basis of sex or gender under the Constitution of Singapore.

This is contrary to Article 1(a) of CEDAW, which states that the principle of equality of men and women must be embodied in the national constitution or other relevant legislation.

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IN ALL FAIRNESS

Second, the Office for Women’s Development and Inter-Ministry Committee for CEDAW is tasked with monitoring and implementing the instruments of CEDAW. However, it is unclear as to what their activities are in such implementation. Apart from making the periodic reports to the CEDAW committee, is there meaningful and consistent engagement with NGOs and the public on the formation of their agenda and activities? What groundwork have these groups undertaken in order to understand the everyday situations of women in Singapore, and to apply a consistent gender equality lens to policy formulation in all areas?

Third, Singapore has yet to fully withdraw its reservation to Article 2, the core provision of CEDAW which calls on state parties to condemn discrimination against women in all its forms.

Discrimination on the basis of gender or sex is closely tied to other forms of discrimination and inequality. Particular attention needs to be paid to how women are marginalised because of their marital status, sexual orientation, nationality, class and so on. Gender equality is not achieved if only select groups of women get to experience it.

CONCLUSION Women’s political, economic and social status are currently not equal to those of men, and this is not justifiable. Their opportunities are limited in a way that men’s are not. Gender stereotyping continues to perpetuate the idea that some tasks belong to females, and others to males. The work associated with and overwhelmingly carried out by women is systematically undervalued, contributing significantly to the status quo.

True commitment to gender equality requires the state to respect women as individuals in their own right, free of discrimination on the basis of their sex or other factors. Women should not be primarily defined by their marital and reproductive status, or be denied access to certain rights and

benefits as a result. The community, civil society and individuals each play important roles in the fight for gender equality. The state, however, is in a unique and powerful position to take the lead in this. It has the power to educate and reshape an entire generation’s perceptions of gender, to enact laws and policies to end discrimination and meaningfully push for the inclusiveness of women in every arena.

It has been more than two decades since Singapore ratified CEDAW, and it is time for Singapore to make good on its commitment.

Chong Ning Qian is a Research Executive at the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE), Singapore’s leading gender equality advocacy group. AWARE carries out research into various issues affecting women, including single parents’ access to housing, low-income women’s decisions about caregiving and paid work, and Singapore's compliance with CEDAW's standards.

Ning Qian graduated with a B.Soc.Sci. (Hon.) in Sociology from the National University of Singapore. She can be reached at advocacy@aware.org.sg

Notes 1

Ministry of Manpower, “2016 Labour Force Survey Highlights”, at http://stats.mom.gov.sg/iMAS_PdfLibrary/mrsd_2016LabourForce_ survey_highlights.pdf

2

Ministry of Manpower, “Speech by Minister Lim Swee Say in Response to Motion on Aspirations of Singaporean Women in Parliament”, 6 April 2017, at http://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/ speeches/2017/0405-speech-by-minister-mr-lim-swee-say-inresponse-to-motion-on-aspirations-of-singaporean-women-inparliament

Anna Whitaker, “Family Involvement in the Institutional Eldercare Context:. Towards a New Understanding”, Journal of Aging Studies 23, 3 (2009): 158–67; Andreas Motel-Klingebiel, Clemens Tesch-Roemer and Hans-Joachim Von Kondratowitz, “Welfare States Do Not Crowd Out the Family: Evidence For Mixed Responsibility from Comparative Analyses”, Ageing & Society 25, 6 (2005): 863–82.

3

4

AWARE, “Single Parents’ Access to Public Housing: Findings from AWARE’s Research Project”, December 2016, at http://d2t1lspzrjtif2. cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/Single-Parents-Access-to-PublicHousing.-Final-version..pdf

5

Ministry of Social and Family Development, “Legal and Policy Distinction between Legitimate and Illegitimate Children”, 13 September 2016, at https://www.msf.gov.sg/media-room/Pages/ Legal-and-policy-distinction-between-legitimate-and-illegitimatechildren.aspx

6

Ibid.

Editor’s Note: Also check out the Lien Centre for Social Innovation’s 2015 report, Single-Parent Families in Singapore: Understanding the Challenges of Finances, Housing and Time Poverty, at https://lcsi.smu.edu.sg/sites/lcsi.smu.edu.sg/files/downloads/Single-parent-families-in-Singapore.pdf

Social Space JANUARY 2018 43

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

“DIE-LOGUE” Elderly Isolation and the Need to Talk About Death

By Mark Lin

In recent years, much attention has been paid to the elderly population of Singapore—often manifested as articles about the “silver tsunami” as well as an ageing population’s impact on the economy, workforce and healthcare. However, there are much fewer discussions that touch on how a growing number of people are dying, and how these deaths can pose significant challenges in themselves.

At the macro level, the general belief is that an economy can be kept going as long as businesses raise productivity and expand their market presence through “gamechanging” innovations. However, when it comes to addressing a problem like elderly isolation (or inclusion— depending on one’s view of the glass being half-empty or half-full), the solution is less obvious. At least from the way I see it, I am not so sure if we as a society truly understand the nature of this “problem” in the first place.

"DIE-LOGUE"

In my view, elderly isolation is more of a side effect than a problem, and I will illustrate my point through the story of Tom,* a seventy-something widower who passed away last year.

TOM’S STORY Tom was an introverted man with very few friends. Married with no children, his wife had been his main companion and link to the outside world until she lost her battle to fourthstage breast cancer. Tom had never been close to other members of his immediate and extended family, and after his beloved wife’s death, he became even more alienated from society.

How would one have helped someone in Tom’s situation?

In theory, a logical “solution” would be to introduce more friends to him and encourage him to join activities at a seniors’ centre. In practice, however, this would be tricky for such a withdrawn individual with longstanding and ingrained introverted behaviours. Lacking basic social etiquette and simple conversational skills, thrusting someone like Tom abruptly into social situations might have made him anxious and nervous.

Not only would social events not make him feel more “connected” to people, they might heighten his feelings of vulnerability and fear of being “judged”, thereby convincing him that he would be better off alone.

Tom’s situation leads one to reconsider what it means to be isolated in the first place. For him, this state of being alone was his idea of protection and comfort—even a treasured

Mark facilitating a group of seniors in having group “die-logue”

Mark facilitating a closed group, as part of a series of eight sessions promoting “die-logue” Workshop on Good Death Planning at a senior activity centre, which encourages seniors to consider early planning and conversation

lifestyle. When social workers cautioned him on the “dangers” of living alone as an elderly person, Tom always gave the same light-hearted reply: “Don’t worry, nothing will happen to me. God will watch over me. If I die, then die lor.”

Stories like Tom’s are extremely common among Singapore’s ageing population. It may be easier to convince more extroverted elderly folk of the benefits of a more socially connected lifestyle; however,

It may be easier to convince more extroverted elderly folk of the benefits of a more socially connected lifestyle; however, many older people who are used to living alone tend to feel shy about making new friends.

* Not his real name SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 45

"DIE-LOGUE"

many older people who are used to living alone tend to feel shy about making new friends.

When they think of happiness, winning the lottery might come to mind instead of forming and sustaining meaningful relationships.

WHEN ISOLATION CHOOSES YOU To properly address the issue of elderly isolation, we have to acknowledge its different dimensions. Some people become disconnected from society not out of their own free will but due to circumstances such as death in the family or abandonment by loved ones.

In Tom’s case, he did not choose to live alone in his old age, but his wife’s passing and his having no children predisposed him to such a situation. Tom had the freedom to decide how to handle his newfound status—as a childless widow and elderly person living by himself—to forge a new social network or to adapt to being alone. Being naturally introverted, he found it easier to do the latter.

In his book, Existential Psychotherapy, American existential psychiatrist Irvin David Yalom cites four ultimate concerns people must reconcile themselves with, as part of being human: death, isolation, freedom and meaninglessness.1 Had Tom passed away before his wife, he would not have had to deal with issues of isolation or meaninglessness arising from the death of one’s sole companion in life. But because he had based all his social-related needs on one meaningful relationship (with

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his wife), her passing meant that his previously “meaningful” life had become lonely and “meaningless”.

MEANINGFUL “DIE-LOGUE” Death forces us to re-evaluate our purpose and intimate connection with people. Being able to confront death helps us to re-evaluate what we value as important, because only then do we learn to start with the end in mind. People who are mindful of their mortality tend to pursue a purpose-filled lifestyle: some become more spiritual, others take up new hobbies and learn new skills, while certain individuals devote their time to fostering meaningful interpersonal relationships.

Society as a whole is uncomfortable or squeamish

Death forces us to re-evaluate our purpose and intimate connection with people. Being able to confront death helps us to re-evaluate what we value as important, because only then do we learn to start with the end in mind.

about a topic as “heavy” as death. However, a death-avoidant culture inhibits what’s needed for the elderly to “flourish”—human connectedness, finding meaning in suffering and building legacy.

As such, there is a great need for more open conversations about death: as a society, in the mainstream media, among ourselves, and especially with the elderly.

Society as a whole is uncomfortable or squeamish about a topic as “heavy” as death.

However, a death-avoidant culture inhibits what’s needed for the elderly to “flourish”—human connectedness, finding meaning in suffering and building legacy.

Tom’s resigned attitude towards his own death (“If I die, then die lor”) may have prevented him from experiencing the desire for meaningful human connection. Perhaps the answer to elderly isolation, then, is not so much about boosting social interaction, but first about an earnest conversation about one’s death, mortality, and the meaning of it all.

Mark Lin is Deputy Director, Special Projects (Eldercare) at Montfort Care. He is a registered social worker with the Singapore Association of Social Workers and has been practising social work for seven years, including five years of direct work with seniors. Mark holds a Bachelor of Social Work (Hons) and is certified in Choice Theory & Reality Therapy.

He is also an Advance Care Planning facilitator and ESTHER Coach trainer. He is presently working on a new initiative called the Good Death Project (www.goodddeath.org.sg) to encourage early end-of-life conversations and planning through an Advance Care Plan. Mark manages a team to provide case management and counselling support for clients with life-limiting illnesses and post-death concerns for survivors impacted by the death of their loved ones. He can be reached at mark@ montfortcare.org.sg

Notes 1

Irvin D. Yalom, Existential Psychotherapy (New York: Basic Books, 1980).

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

WAXING POETIC A Bengali Tale in Singapore

By Zakir Hossain Khokan

In 2003, I left my freelance journalist job in Dhaka for work in Singapore as a construction supervisor. My wife, Jui, and son, Zarif, stayed behind in Bangladesh.

Coming to Singapore, I brought with me my love for poetry, journalism and photography.

Outside my work hours, I would read up on Singapore and explore the local literary and poetry scene. In Bangladesh, one can readily find poems published in books and newspapers; however, I could not find a single poem in any of Singapore's newspapers, and this gave me the initial impression that Singaporeans do not like poetry.

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 47

“WE ARE” A year later, I founded “Amrakajona” (Bengali: “We Are”), a Bengali poetry interest group for like-minded individuals to profess their love and interest in poetry and music. After a tiring six-day work week, members would gather on Sundays to exchange insights and share their latest creative works. And I have found that immersing myself in Bengali poetry in this way helps to alleviate fatigue and homesickness, and makes me feel more connected with my community.

In Bangladesh, one can readily find poems published in books and in newspapers; however, I could not find a single poem in any of Singapore's newspapers, and this gave me the initial impression that Singaporeans do not like poetry.

Amrakajona’s activities include poetry recitals, plays and music events. Between 2005 and 2010, we held yearly book fairs, featuring titles from Bangladesh and sold at cheap prices. The book fair was not active from 2011 to 2016 due to group members’ busy schedules, but we revived it in 2017, holding our seventh book fair at the nowdefunct CityLink Mall bookstore, Booktique, as well as at Jurong Penjuru Dormitory. Officially opened by High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Singapore

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(Top) The 2017 book fair organised by Amrakajona was officially opened by the High Commissioner of Bangladesh and held at Jurong Penjuru Dormitory.

(Bottom) Zakir with Booktique owner, Anthony Koh, who offered his bookstore as an additional venue for the book fair.

Mr Md Mustafizur Rahman, and supported by Booktique and the Singapore Bangladesh Society (SBS), around a thousand people turned up for the fair.

ONE BAG, ONE BOOK The aim of the annual book fair is to make Bengali books easily available to Bangladeshi migrant workers in Singapore, and thereby spread the joy of reading. More recently, I embarked on a project called “One Bag, One Book” to promote the idea that literature is essential to one’s selfdevelopment and a source of comfort for people who are away from their homes and families.

Why “One Bag, One Book”?

Most people see migrant workers carrying a backpack in the mornings while commuting to their workplace via train, bus or lorry. Their backpacks typically include their essentials for the day, like a water bottle or lunchbox. However, I hope that in time to come, every bag will also contain a book, and I want to encourage every migrant worker to read at least one book a year.

That translates to less than five minutes of reading each day, which is a very achievable goal.

As these books are written in their native language, reading can connect migrant workers with their home country, as

WAXING POETIC

A WINNING FORMULA

Most people see migrant workers carrying a backpack in the mornings while commuting to their workplace via train, bus or lorry. Their backpacks typically include their essentials for the day, like a water bottle or lunchbox. However, I hope that in time to come, every bag will also contain a book.

well as be an enjoyable leisure activity to relieve stress.

Although there are currently around 100,000 Bangladeshi migrant workers in Singapore, “One Bag, One Book” will target 100 people for a start. Physical paperbacks will be distributed to them instead of e-books because I believe that reading from a printed book helps to hone one's concentration.

With the yearly book fair revived to support the “One Bag, One Book” initiative, Amrakajona’s members are presently looking for sponsors to support our cause. We have also been gathering feedback from fellow migrant workers and putting together their “wish lists” before sourcing for suitable titles to carry at the fair. There are also plans to start a book exchange club to hand out the leftover books from past book fairs.

POETRY IN MOTION Amrakajona regularly holds poetry recital sessions, where all are invited to come and listen to original poems written by the group’s very own Bangladeshi migrant poets. Also during these sessions, a member will deliver a 10-minute speech on his thoughts about poetry, and

share his take on specific issues.

An open discussion usually follows, in which everyone chimes in with their views on certain points raised during the speech.

The purpose of these sharing sessions is to encourage group members to be open and accepting of ideas—a trait that I consider essential for all writers and poets.

MUSIC AND LYRICS Amrakajona’s members comprise not only poets and literature lovers, but music fans too. In July 2017, we started our own Bengali poetry band, which plays live music alongside poetry recitations.

We also welcome Singaporeans to join our band, even if they are unfamiliar with our language, as I believe music transcends cultural and linguistic barriers, and unites diverse groups of people.

In 2014, I submitted three entries to the Singaporebased Migrant Workers Poetry Competition. It was my friend, A.K.M Mohsin, the editor of Banglar Kantha, who encouraged me to take part. I remember our phone conversation: it was a rainy evening after work and I was aboard a bus that was taking me back to my dormitory in Sembawang. After we spoke, I was so inspired that I used the rest of my one-hour bus journey to pen three poems, respectively titled “Pocket One”, “Pocket Two” and “Pocket Three”.

“Pocket One” was about me, my son and my country. Pocket Two was about my wife and I. Pocket Three was about me, my father and immigrant life. Together, the three poems were about how we missed each other. In November 2014, much to my delight and surprise, “Pocket Two” beat 84 other poems to win the top prize in the Migrant Workers Poetry Competition.1

Pocket Two

Top Prize in the 2014 Migrant Workers Poetry Competition

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 49

Poetry Festival Singapore, Sing Lit Station and with many other local literary organisations. I believe there should be no distinction between “Singaporean” and “migrant” poets, and Amrakajona is a testament to Singapore’s tolerance and acceptance of people from all backgrounds and cultures, with literature as a core propellant.

Zakir and Amrakajona members with the owner of Books Actually, Kenny Leck.

The contest was covered by several local and Bangladeshi news agencies, and even international news outlets such as the BBC. With all this publicity, Amrakajona’s membership numbers swelled— many existing or aspiring poets who had not heard of the group before reading the news reports flocked to join our sessions, and we have enjoyed steady growth since then.

BRIDGING THE DIVIDE Since the competition, my works have caught the attention of Singaporeans, many of whom are interested to adapt my poems.

In 2015, the local dance company CHOWK held a performance called From Another Land, inspired by my winning works—“Pocket One”, “Pocket Two” and “Pocket Three”—as well as that of Rajib Shil Jibon’s—“Shades of Light and Dark”, the runner-up entry in the Migrant Workers Poetry Competition.2 Staged for two nights at the Esplanade Theatre Studio, the performances enjoyed full-house attendance.

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My passion for poetry has also enabled me to befriend many Singaporeans, including local poets, writers and booksellers.

For instance, when we published our poetry anthology, Migrant Tales—featuring the works of 18 Bengali migrant poets— Singaporean poet Alvin Pang wrote the preface.

Additionally, bookstores such as Booktique, Books Actually, City Book Room and Artisty have been very supportive, hosting our “Poetry Evening with Migrant Tales” sessions during which migrant poets recite their works to an audience of poetry lovers. In May 2017, Anthony Koh, owner of Booktique, provided the venue for Migrant Tales’ official launch and the book fair, hosting the event at his CityLink Mall storefront and even covering the shipment cost of the books!

Going forward, Amrakajona hopes to contribute more to and become a part of Singapore’s unique literary landscape.

We maintain close ties with The Literary Centre (Singapore),

As American novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald once said, “That is part of the beauty of all literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, that you’re not lonely and isolated from anyone.

You belong.”

Zakir Hossain Khokan is a Bengali writer, poet, journalist and photographer.

Born in Dhaka and a graduate of the National University of Bangladesh, he moved to Singapore in 2003 to work in the construction sector. Presently a quality control project coordinator, Zakir is also the founder of “Amrakajona” (Bengali: “We Are”), a club that unites Bangladeshi migrant workers with a common love for poetry. Zakir’s poems are extremely well received, winning the first prize for two consecutive years at the Migrant Workers Poetry Competition in both 2014 and 2015. Zakir is a prominent spokesperson for the migrant worker community in Singapore and is invited to speak at many events. In 2015, he gave a talk at TEDx Singapore, and in 2017, he spoke at Raffles Girls Secondary School and the Singapore Management University, as well as at the “Migrant Workers Awareness Week”. His publications span history books, poetry anthologies, a non-fiction book entitled Singapore Riots and a Love Story, and even a song album entitled “Emigrant Life”. He is the editor of Migrant Tales, an anthology of poems by migrant Bengali poets in Singapore. He can be reached at zakir.journal@gmail.com

Notes 1

Mayo Martin, “Winning Poems from 1st Migrant Workers Poetry Competition”, TODAY, 18 November 2014, at http:// www.todayonline.com/blogs/forartssake/ winning-poems-1st-migrant-workers-poetrycompetition?singlepage=true

2

Mayo Martin, “Bangladeshi Migrant Workers’ Poetry Inspires New Dance Piece”, TODAY, 26 August 2015, at http://www.todayonline. com/entertainment/arts/bangladeshimigrant-workers-poetry-inspires-new-dancepiece?singlepage=true

WAXING POETIC

We first met at a crossroads and, then often in the indolent afternoons at the neighbouring tea stall.

His lively voice used to radiate the vibrant words in the breeze drifting through the city.

On my eagerness to hear poems weaved in his enchanted voice, he used to reply, as my beloved would kiss these eyelids I would run to you and sing the ballad of kisses.

Ballad of Kisses

By Zakir Hossain Khokan Translated by Debabrota Basu

In a pleasant autumn morning, he was subsumed in the void of love and affection, of his father, in a distant land.

Nobody figured why did he die, a disease unknown.

Before departing, he enlightened my blind eyes to see through the world, and people.

These eyes can look through the disguise of deceptive smiles, and sneak into the darkness that hides inside.

Alas, not the superficial, it exposes soul.

Throughout the restless days and nights I can't look at people, anymore.

How could he live with these eyes?

As I wait at the hospital lobby to return his eyes, my children gaze with love, and my beloved kisses the eyelids, incessantly.

Anyone, interested in the ballad of kisses?

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 51

WAXING POETIC

Nature

By Zakir Hossain Khokan Translated by Debabrota Basu

Like you, at times when grief pours down on me, nothing can ease the pain but Nature, an enchanting touch of a magician.

While you enjoy the sunshine and sea waves at the beach, angle (for ďŹ sh) at green riverbanks, and enjoy the gardens, sweet shelters of trees, I immerse myself in the noise of gigantic machines.

For me Nature is the soil soaked in sweat of craftsmanship, that streams down every moment through every inch of my skin.

And, in the tea breaks shorter than a glimpse, I sail through the pages of poetry in search of the peace.

Still at times, when grief pours down on fatigue-torn me, on roads and in MRTs I behold the faces of the infants, free and pure as Nature would be.

* These original poems are reproduced in Social Space with the kind permission of Zakir Hossain Khokan.

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Three Cheers for “Freaks”, Misfits and Immigrants About Inclusiveness in Children’s Books

By Don Bosco

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 53

Since 2011, I have been writing and publishing books for children though my start-up, Super Cool Books. We began with making book prototypes and story products for reluctant readers, and eventually published serialised fiction in collaboration with much more established publishing partners.

The modest business growth over these years has brought many challenges. As our titles continue to reach a wider audience, it has been a practical lesson in practising inclusiveness in an active and authentic way.

This is a significant creative challenge that always keeps me motivated and inspired in fresh and surprising ways.

COME ON, EVERYBODY I always thought I knew what inclusiveness meant, but in the course of writing this article, I looked up the term anyway.

In most basic terms, it refers to “the quality of including all sections of society”, and is associated with the idea of tolerance and acceptance.1 In other words, inclusiveness, or inclusion, is about creating the experience of reaching out and being hospitable to others— whether they be family, friends or strangers—so that they feel

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THREE CHEERS FOR “FREAKS”, MISFITS AND IMMIGRANTS

accepted for who they are, and are encouraged to participate in what you have organised.

As a parent and creator of children’s literature, I am extremely aware of just how sensitive kids are to the idea of being included. If made to feel left out on one too many occasions, it can break their hearts.

As an author and avid reader, I have observed that there has always been a wide range of children’s books that champion ideas about inclusiveness and social acceptance. I grew up with many of them. Especially comics.

One of the most popular story entertainment brands today, the X-Men, is based on championing Misfits as Heroes.

In this story world, the mutants are born with features and abilities that make them seem like “freaks”. Out of fear, society discriminates against them and tries to remove them. But they are too awesome for that.

Time and again, the mutants step up and protect the very people who jeered them and hunted them down. This narrative is so captivating that Marvel Comics has launched entire franchises off the original comic books.

Now there are X-Men movies,

As an author and avid reader, I have observed that there has always been a wide range of children’s books that champion ideas about inclusiveness and social acceptance. I grew up with many of them. Especially comics.

computer games, toys, clothes and fastfood collectible merchandise.

How about story characters who are Immigrants albeit Model Citizens? A classic example is Superman. He came over from another planet, was an intergalactic refugee, and had a humble life growing up on a rural farm. Later, as an adult, he moved to the city, but felt out of place, especially when mocked by his office coworkers. Nonetheless, he was always keen to help out and be accepted, and that guided him in his attempt to use his powers to serve society.

Going farther back, in traditional fairytales, we have stories like The Ugly Duckling, about an awkward-looking bird that was mercilessly teased while living with other ducks. Eventually, he finds his rightful place in the world when he grows into a beautiful swan. This is a tale

about the “freak” that had the last laugh.

Are you a “Freak”? A Misfit? An Outcast? An awkward Foreigner?

In the world of children’s stories, you might just be a Hero waiting to happen.

OPEN YOUR EYES Be it a disabled person as a Superbrain (an exceptionally intelligent person) or an elderly person as a Kickass Zombie Fighter, I have always been intrigued by the idea that exceptional human abilities sometimes come in the most unexpected packages. When we get a chance to look beneath superficial differences, we sometimes discover extraordinary awesomeness.

Here is a short excerpt from one of my books, about a few kids who meet an eightysomething-year-old woman.

(It contains spoilers, so I will not reveal the title.)

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 55

We settled down at the dining table, and Madam Bao told us her story.

She was a member of the Great Scroll Sisterhood, an ancient organisation formed during the Qin Dynasty, two thousand years ago, when some brave women came together and swore to protect the Scroll of Greatness with their lives.

She had lost her sight when she was eight years old, after an accident. But there was a school near her village that was run by some monks. They taught Madam Bao and helped her memorise many old books.

Madam Bao was such an exceptional student that people came from all over the kingdom to hear her explain the teachings.

And when she was just sixteen years old, the Great Scroll Sisterhood invited her to join their order.

I was mesmerised by Madam Bao’s tale.

I wondered if Aisha might one day be just as elegant and wise and skilled in beating off thugs and thieves. And zombies too, if they should ever show up in this colony.

For the past few months, I have been writing my latest adventure series, My Blade Quest, and I am having so much fun inventing many stereotype-busting characters. For instance, there is a motorcycle gang made up of retired men and women, who race their Harley Davidson bikes around Melbourne, Australia and occasionally organise charity barbeque events.

Message: elderly people can be full of youthful ideas and wild energy.

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There is also a group of teenagers who show symptoms of Asperger’s Syndrome, and despite being socially awkward, they are brilliant technology hackers who help the book’s main characters fight a bully and complete their urgent mission.

Message: neurodiversity can have its upsides.

Through my experience and interaction with my readers, I have learned that kids love such characterisations. Reading books with such messages opens up their imagination, and prepares them to offer outstanding friendship and camaraderie when they go out into the world, in spite of seemingly formidable physical or cultural obstacles.

I have always been intrigued by the idea that exceptional human abilities sometimes come in the most unexpected packages. When we get a chance to look beneath superficial differences, we sometimes discover extraordinary awesomeness.

THREE CHEERS FOR “FREAKS”, MISFITS AND IMMIGRANTS

In this way, children’s literature can be used to bring communities closer by focussing on the fun. When you are truly having a good time, you will accept physical, cultural and perceived disparities, and even find these differences endearing. That is just how humans are as a species—the pursuit of fun actually meets our deeper, more fundamental emotional needs. Fun nurtures a state of well-being that runs across all cultures, and unites children of all ages.

Don and young readers at the launch of his My Blade Quest series, held in June 2017 at Sengkang Public Library.

#DIVERSITY: THE NEW MARKETING? In recent years, a significant movement has emerged in children's fiction (or "Kidlit"): We Need Diverse Books.

It began in 2014 on Twitter as a hashtag movement, #weneeddiversebooks, and has since evolved into a non-profit group in the US that develops new children’s fiction talent from diverse backgrounds, and promotes their books to schools,2 so that all kids get to see themselves and their experiences reflected in the stories they read.

To put it more simply: What’s

in:

What’s

out:

• Tolerance • Acceptance • Celebrating differences • Negative stereotypes • Discrimination • Monoculturalism

This call for diversity in literature has succeeded in generating many fresh conversations across social media about inclusiveness.

It has also influenced publishers— major players as well as smaller presses—to rethink their publishing catalogues, and exhibit more range and inclusivity.

Children’s literature can be used to bring communities closer by focussing on the fun. When you are truly having a good time, you will accept physical, cultural and perceived disparities, and even find these differences endearing. That is just how humans are as a species— the pursuit of fun actually meets our deeper, more fundamental emotional needs. Fun nurtures a state of well-being that runs across all cultures, and unites children of all ages.

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 57

THREE CHEERS FOR “FREAKS”, MISFITS AND IMMIGRANTS

Here are some other ways I creatively promote diversity and inclusion in my books:

INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO

+ Clever Girls as central characters, and Quirky Women as cool adult mentors. There are not enough of these in children’s fiction, which tend to be dominated by male characters.

+ Portraying Asian traditions and conventions of alchemy and fantasy. This is a departure from typical Hollywood-style depictions of magic and wizardry. I also weave in Asian historical landscapes as scene settings and descriptions of Asian social customs.

+ Storytelling strategies that cater to reluctant readers, and those learning English as a second or third language. These include using shorter sentences and chapters, more literal and less idiomatic phrases, more focus on action and dialogue than commentary and descriptions, and so on.

THE FUTURE NARRATIVE “Freaks”, Misfits and Immigrants. In many ways, these have been the constant pillars of children’s entertainment. Good writers repeatedly use such characters to create a deeper awareness about the need for diversity— that this world is bigger, weirder, more awesome and ultimately more fun than anything anyone can try to exclude.

I readily admit that this modern society we live in is actually far from perfect. The harsh reality

is that Misfits are too often ostracised. Outcasts are denied their basic rights. “Freaks” are ridiculed and denied admission.

Immigrants do get glared at and are called rude names, or even physically attacked.

But what if we could accelerate the spread of this hyperoptimistic, inclusive ethos from children’s fiction into other spheres of life and other forms of discourse?

That would be a social innovation worth exploring.

Notes 1

Definition of “inclusiveness” from the English Oxford Living Dictionaries at https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/inclusiveness

2

We Need Diverse Books website, at http://weneeddiversebooks.org

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SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018

Don Bosco writes thrilling fiction for children, inspired

by Asian legends and pop culture. He started the kidlit publishing studio Super Cool Books in 2011. His books include the My Blade Quest series (Armour Publishing), the Lion City Adventures series (Marshall Cavendish) and the Superkicks series (Marshall Cavendish). Don is a local co-organiser for StoryCode Singapore, and a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. He has been a featured speaker at writing festivals and media conferences. Visit his website at http://www.SuperCoolBooks.com or email him at studio@supercoolbooks.com

SINGAPORE’S FIRST & ONLY SOCIAL INNOVATION MAGAZINE SINCE 2008 SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018: THE INCLUSION ISSUE Flagship publication of the Lien Centre for Social Innovation Read and trusted by social innovators, students and academics Available in hardcopy and e-copy (downloadable via socialspacemag.org) Read exclusive bonus features online and via our newsletters

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THE SHORT LIST

10

Movies and Documentaries

with an “Inclusion” Message

By Trang Luu and Tamara Prabhakar

Social inclusion ideally involves a multi-targeted approach that addresses a medley of contextual factors including cultural customs and access to resources to ascertain a degree of assimilation.

Fostering collaboration between different social identities has the power to catalyse social mobility for marginalised communities through increased participation and access to societal opportunities generally barred by conventional norms.

To this end, films have the special ability to draw focus to specific circumstances by capturing the engaging stories and experiences of unique characters to offer multitudes of perspective.

The following 10 films highlight stories of and by trailblazing outsiders who endeavour to expose and overcome the challenging barriers of unfamiliar yet desired social worlds, and pave the way for greater social inclusion.

1.

Based on the novel of the same name by Japanese A QUIET LIFE (1995) [in Japanese] Directed by Jûzô Itami; starring Atsuro Watabe Nobel laureate Kenzaburō Ōe, A Quiet Life follows the quotidian life of Ma-chan, who takes on the and Hinako Saeki responsibility of caring for her mentally disabled yet musically gifted brother Eeyore due to their parents’ absence. As Ma-chan dutifully assumes the role of a caregiver and navigates the unusual family dynamic, she begins to realise Eeyore’s unforeseen capacities for empathy and courage.

Presenting Ma-chan’s selfless love and Eeyore’s disability in an incredibly intimate light, the movie disrupts the notion of enforced normalcy, celebrating instead the beauty of the siblings’ http://www.imdb.com/title/ idiosyncratic humanity.

tt0131013/?ref_=nv_sr_2 IMDB page: http://www.imdb.com/title/ tt4846340/?ref_=nv_sr_1 60

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018

10 MOVIES AND DOCUMENTARIES WITH AN “INCLUSION” MESSAGE

2.

CYBER-SENIORS (2014) Directed by Saffron Cassaday; starring Shura Eadie, Pelletier Henri and Schellenberg Max

http://www.imdb.com/title/ tt2943992/?ref_=nv_sr_2

3.

HIDDEN FIGURES (2016) Directed by Theodore Melfi; starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae

Saffron Cassaday’s heartwarming documentary tells the story of the international digital literacy campaign, Cyber Seniors, where senior citizens learn to improve their technology skills and navigate cyberspace under the guidance of teenage volunteers. The success of 89-yearold Shura’s viral cooking tutorial sparks lively competition among the seniors for the most views on YouTube, humorously presenting the reality of growing old in the digital age and the campaign’s efforts to foster intergenerational bonds. Benefits of digital connectivity are seen to empower the elderly folk in this documentary, making them realise the joys of becoming more involved in their larger community.

This award-winning movie takes us back to the dawn of the Space Age (the early 1960s), when African American mathematicians Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson pioneered computer programmes and trajectories for NASA’s space launches. Undeterred by their minority status as females in a “Science Technology Engineering Mathematics” (STEM) field, as well as being African Americans, these ladies exceed social standards and become notably visible through their invaluable contributions to space engineering.

http://www.imdb.com/title/ tt4846340/?ref_=nv_sr_1

4.

INTOUCHABLES (2011) [in French) Directed by Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledan; starring François Cluzet and Omar Sy

http://www.imdb.com/title/ tt1675434/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Quadriplegic millionaire Philippe enlists the help of an unlikely caregiver—a struggling immigrant and ex-convict named Driss. Their deepening friendship transcends socio-economic and racial boundaries to become a powerful source of strength and mutual enrichment. A critically acclaimed French comedy-drama, Intouchables paints an uplifting portrait of human vulnerability and empathy as the two main characters—rendered “untouchable” pariahs because of their personal disadvantages— inspire each other to live life to the fullest. Rather than evoking pity, this movie instead approaches the issues routinely facing the marginalised members of modern France with a genuine sense of optimism, appreciation and respect.

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 61

5.

LAST TRAIN HOME (2009) [in Mandarin] Directed by Lixin Fan; starring Changhua Zhang, Yang Zhang and Suqin Chen

http://www.imdb.com/title/ tt1512201/?ref_=nv_sr_1

6.

LIVING ON ONE DOLLAR (2013) Directed by Chris Temple, Zach Ingrasci, Sean Leonard and Ryan Christoffersen

http://www.imdb.com/title/ tt2625598/?ref_=nv_sr_1

7.

THE BREAKFAST CLUB (1985) Directed by John Hughes; starring Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson and Molly Ringwald

http://www.imdb.com/title/ tt0088847/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

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SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018

Every year, Changhua Zhang and his wife Suqin Chen join China’s 130 million migrant workers who travel back to their hometowns for the Spring Festival. The Zhangs toil tirelessly in the metropolis of Guangzhou to support their children back in rural Sichuan on the pittance they earn as factory workers. However, family rifts begin to appear as their daughter decides to leave school to seek unskilled work. Last Train Home is a documentary that poignantly chronicles the unseen sacrifice and endless struggles of China’s rural poor and migrant workers—lost in the uncertainty between the past and present, and forgotten in the whirlwind of modernity.

In this self-directed production, four filmmakers venture to rural Guatemala for two months to endure the harsh lifestyles of locals while only spending a dollar a day. Living on One Dollar is the pilot documentary of Living on One, a film production company specialising in capturing the realities of impoverished communities and connecting people to causes through awareness and fundraising campaigns. This eye-opening exposé has since garnered several accolades and a following of avid supporters who share a common desire to make a positive difference in the lives of underprivileged groups.

In this coming-of-age comedy-drama, a diverse gang of high-school students—each belonging to a different clique—wind up in weekend detention together, eventually discovering that they are more than their respective stereotypes, and that they have more in common with one another than they knew. Known as the “quintessential 80s film” and considered one of the best of its decade, The Breakfast Club explores the pressures teenagers face from trying to fit into typical high-school social constructs, as well as from the weight of their parents’, teachers’ and society’s expectations of them.

10 MOVIES AND DOCUMENTARIES WITH AN “INCLUSION” MESSAGE

8.

THE DANISH GIRL (2015) Directed by Tom Hooper; starring Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander

http://www.imdb.com/title/ tt0810819/?ref_=nv_sr_1

9.

THE LOVING STORY (2011) Directed by Nancy Buirski

http://www.imdb.com/title/ tt1759682/?ref_=nv_sr_2

10. THE SUPREME PRICE (2014) Directed by Joanna Lipper

http://www.imdb.com/title/ tt3832796/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Originally from Vietnam, Trang Luu was a Summer Associate (Editorial) at the Lien Centre for Social Innovation. She is a junior at the University of Pennsylvania, where she majors in English with a concentration in Literary Theory and Cultural Studies.

As a former research assistant at Write4Change—an educational project with a focus on socially conscious writing—she studied communication practices among adolescents in global writing communities. Trang’s summer stint at the Lien Centre married her interests in editing and publishing to her belief in the potential of the humanities as a catalyst for impact. She can be reached at trangluu@sas.upenn.edu

The Danish Girl is a romantic drama film adapted from a novel of the same name by David Ebershoff, and loosely based on the real lives of Danish painters Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. Set in the 1920s, the movie portrays the touching journey of landscape artist Einar Wegener’s transition into alluring model Lili Elbe, culminating into one of the earliest cases of experimental sex reassignment surgery. Navigating the complexities of her longstanding relationships, Lili delicately yet passionately establishes her internal impressions and desired public deposition, ultimately pushing her body to great lengths to acquire self and social acceptance.

This HBO documentary explores the nature of anti-miscegenation laws in the United States during the Civil Rights era through the story of Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple arrested for living together in Virginia. The Lovings subsequently partner with two young lawyers, Bernard Cohen and Philip Hirschkop from the American Civil Liberties Union, to try their case against popular racial purity arguments and beliefs. After years of fighting, Loving v. Virginia makes it to the Supreme Court, which rules on 12 June 1967 to establish new policy precedents regarding marriage.

The Supreme Price traces the remarkable story of Nigerian civil rights and political activist Hafsat Abiola. Following the annulled victory of her father—President-elect Moshood Abiola—and the assassination of her mother—pro-democracy champion Kudirat Abiola—she enters the political arena with a determination to dismantle the corrupt governance structure and empower marginalised communities, including women and the poor.

The documentary offers a sobering look at Hafsat’s struggle against multiple layers of oppressive forces in pursuit of her aspirations as a woman, as well as the military dictatorship that threatens the incipient democratic process of Nigeria.

Hailing from Texas, USA, Tamara Prabhakar is a rising junior at the University of Pennsylvania, with a major in Science, Technology, and Society, and double minors in Consumer Psychology and Fine Arts. Eager to gain exposure to social issues in Southeast Asia and to participate in a variety of socially oriented projects both inside and outside the classroom, Tamara joined the Lien Centre for Social Innovation as a Summer Associate (Editorial). She is also is a lead editor of IMPACT, a UPenn-based magazine with a mission to promote community involvement and effect social change on multiple scales. Tamara hopes to capitalise on the power of technology to drive and reinvent social impact in the future. She can be reached at tpra@sas.upenn.edu

SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018 63

POP QUIZ

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By Trang Luu

L E M P O W E R M E N T O L E R A N C E

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SOCIAL SPACE JANUARY 2018

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