Serangoon SRQ Essay Notes for Q7_full set

SERANGOON SECONDARY SCHOOL NOTES HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT – SOCIAL STUDIES UNIT Page | 1 Issue 1 – Exploring Citizenship and Governance (Chapters 1 to 4) Chapter 1: What does citizenship mean to me Focus: Attributes shaping citizenship ● Legal status ● A sense of identity ● Shared values ● Civic Participation Legal status When a person has legal status as a citizen, he/she is recognised by law as a member of a country. T he citizens will be granted rights, where they have the freedom and privileges that citizens have. Thes e privileges such as voting rights are in the constitution and are protected by law. Citizens are also obliged to fulfil duties as members of the country. For example, 18 -year-old male citizens are obliged to serve National Service (NS) and serve up to 40 days of Operationally Ready National Service per year until the age of 40 or 50. A sense of identity A sense of national identity comes from a shared belief of connectedness to other citizens belonging to the country. It could be shaped by common experiences, practices and spaces such as the use of Singlish, celebrating National Day, and having hawker cen tres as a common space that represent Singapore’s multicultural heritage. Singaporeans may also share a common way of life, and experience common practices such as singing the National Anthem and taking the National Pledge as Singaporeans. Shared values Shared values shape citizenship as these principles and beliefs are embraced and seen as important b y people. The values are shaped by a country’s history, heritage and experiences which may change over time as citizens respond to challenges faced by the c ountry. For example, in embracing the value of ‘multiculturalism’, Singaporeans generally believe in living in harmony in a multiracial and multireligious society. They make a conscious effort to understand and develop good relationships with people from different races and religions. Civic participation Civic participation refers to citizens taking part in public affairs which are matters of general in terest or concern to most people in society. It involves citizens contributing their time, effort and money to address societal issues, specific needs in society, or interests that they are concerned with, either as individuals or as community groups.

SERANGOON SECONDARY SCHOOL NOTES HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT – SOCIAL STUDIES UNIT Page | 2 Individual For example, as individuals, a Singaporean family set up a free minimart offering some grocery produ cts to people in need. The initiative received support from many individuals who came forward to donate cash and groceries. For community groups, there are informal groups that exist for a period of time needed to address specific objectives. A group of Singaporeans started a mobile application called GoodHood.sg to promote neighbourliness in Singapore by connecting their neighbours by asking for o