ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the historical constitution of social work education in the context of a soft authoritarian state. We establish the following links between the reproduction of the pragmatic form of social work education and the state. Social work education in Singapore began out of necessity under the post-war British colonial administration. In striving for relevance, it has over time become micro practice-oriented and psychology-informed. While the state had previously maintained its distance in shaping social work education, it is now actively involved in its constitution; soft authoritarianism is evident in the state’s ongoing efforts to educate social workers.
