CAPE has partnered with Ethos Books to produce The CAPE Handbook to Advocacy in Singapore. Authored by CAPE and produced by Ethos Books, this concise guide is an accompaniment to We Are Not The Enemy: The Practice of Advocacy in Singapore. The guide dispels misconceptions and offers practical action steps, easing readers into strategies for effective advocacy and activism in the city-state. CAPE also contributed a chapter to We Are Not The Enemy, exploring CAPE’s origins and evolution, with a reflection on youth activism in Singapore.
A Limited Edition print copy of the handbook was released at the sold-out March 2024 launch of both books.
About the Book
“Activism” is often seen as a dirty word in Singapore. With a half-century of state-led nation-building achievements, we are used to a top-down hierarchy in state-society relations. Yet as our society evolves, a maturing democracy is needed to meet our increasingly plural needs and challenges. A vibrant civil society and active civic participation of our citizens are integral towards sustaining the inclusiveness and resilience of Singapore’s society.
This handbook, as with CAPE’s mission, seeks to rebuild our democratic muscles—long-atrophied across previous generations. Drawing from the rich body of legal insights, academic writings on Singapore’s politics, and case studies of successful local activism, we delve into the possibilities of making the change you want to see as a citizen, and how to win in the local context. An accompaniment to We Are Not the Enemy: The Practice of Advocacy in Singapore, this is a Singapore-friendly pocket handbook for the how-tos and why-nots of doing democracy!
Errata:
At page 7, the case cited under the section “Separation of powers” should read “Chng Suan Tze v Minister for Home Affairs [1988] 2 SLR(R) 525”. CAPE apologises for the typographical error.