ABSTRACT
Introduction Since its founding as an entrepôt in the early nineteenth century, Singapore has experienced considerable development and change from its beginnings as a port city under conditions of ‘colonial pluralism’ to its present status as a postcolonial nation-state with strong global-city ambitions. 1 Through an initial period of a century and a half characterised by a liberal open-door policy on immigration during the colonial regime, followed by a subsequent half century of careful postindependence planning in pursuit of economic growth and nation building, Singapore has developed into a global city par excellence in Asia with a distinctive multiracial complexion and cosmopolitan landscape.
