Singapore

This course provides a general one-semester introduction to the relationship between brain and behavior. Students must have a basic (high-school level) understanding of biological processes, and are required to have taken the introductory psychology course. . The course will focus on key questions asked about the brain, such as: How is the brain organized (from molecules to the whole brain)? How do we sense the world, pay attention, remember and learn? What happens when brain function fails? Emphasis will be given to fundamental principles of nervous system function.

Adolescence is a period of many transitions. This module will explore some of these transitions, ranging from the physical changes related to puberty to the psychological processes of identity formation to the social challenges of negotiating new patterns of relationships with family and peers. Special emphases will be placed on (1) localizing these developmental processes in Singapore and Asia, and (2) exploring the possible contextual effects of technology on these transitions.

This core module covers most of the common mental health problems identified for children and adults, e.g. eating disorders, behavioural problems, attention deficits, learning disabilities, schizophrenia, anxiety, stress, depression, personality disorders, sexual adjustment, substance abuse, suicide, and dementia. The lectures and discussion groups provide an introduction to clinical intervention, but emphasis is placed on the theoretical formulation of problems. Whenever possible, films and case studies are used to supplement the textbook and readings.

This module is designed to help students:

1) acquire an introductory knowledge of the conceptual building blocks of feminist theory and politics, as well as identify the main contributions of various strands of feminist scholarship to mainstream understandings of politics.
2) develop gender analytical skills that help students apply feminist theoretical arguments to empirical research.
3) gain a historically informed understanding of the different ways in which gender, as a major organizing principle of human societies, matters in shaping political, economic, social, as well individual/psychological processes and outcomes.

The module initiates students into the workings of politics from the perspective of citizenship. What constitutes citizenship? What are the roles, duties and obligations of being a Singapore citizen? How do citizens interact and impact politics and decision making in Singapore? How have changes over the years, including (a) perspective of Singapore’s political history, (b) imperatives shaping national politics, (c) the political system, (d) its key structures and approaches to nation building, affected national politics and in turn, led to the political elites responding to changing demands of citizens? The role of civic and civil society will also be discussed.

How do wars end? Why do some wars end quickly while others go on for years? This course examines some of the issues and challenges pertaining to the causes of, and the conditions associated with, war continuation and termination. How a war terminates has systematic impact not only on the belligerents but also the international (and regional) system. Over the course of the semester, we will survey the major theoretical approaches of war termination and examine how some of the major wars have ended in the past century. In addition, in this course we will also examine how other forms of conflict in the international system, such as civil wars, insurgencies, international rivalries and terrorism, have terminated. Lastly, we will also discuss some of the major issues and policy challenges linked with war termination in the present era. The main objectives of this course are threefold: 1) introduce students to different theoretical approaches and historical cases of conflict termination; 2) gain wide-ranging knowledge on the political and military issues/challenges related to war endings; and 3) provide students with the analytical tools to critically evaluate current policy debates.

This module examines some of the major debates surrounding the “struggle for recognition” and its relation to the politics of identity and difference. It explores why recognition is an essential human need and how it is foundational to the ways in which we conceive of ourselves and others. It also studies how recognition struggles are often seen as underwriting many contemporary political and social movements (in Singapore and internationally), and how they relate to concerns about justice, equality and freedom. Finally, it examines if recognition might, oddly enough, itself become a means of oppression and injustice.

This module will serve an introduction to the nature and dynamics of government and politics in Southeast Asia, especially state-society relations. Hence, the module will look at government and politics in countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Burma. This module is aimed at students across all faculties and at all levels interested in learning about political dynamics in Southeast Asia. Its primary objective is to expose students to the region, and provide a basic foundation in government and politics of Southeast Asia from which students can further acquire/develop specialised knowledge.

This module analyses Singapore's outlook towards the world with particular reference to countries in the West and Asia. It examines the following key issues affecting Singapore's foreign policy: problems of a small state, factors influencing the worldview, the key foreign policy principles and precepts, the operationalisation of relations towards different countries; and the key differences in outlook towards the world in the Cold War and post-Cold War periods. The course is mounted for students throughout NUS with interest in Singapore and particularly its foreign policy.

This course examines the theoretical and empirical issues related to the international security of Asia-Pacific, with emphasis on East and Southeast Asia. As such, the course surveys key security dynamics and issues in the region, and explores some of the political and military challenges facing the main actors in Asia-Pacific in an era of uncertainty. Some of the major themes covered in this course include: the rise of China; U.S. alliance system in the Asia-Pacific; Japanese militarization; territorial disputes; deterrence and coercive diplomacy; nuclear proliferation; prospects for regional security regimes; and non-traditional security challenges such as energy and environmental security. The main objectives of this course are broadly twofold: 1) introduce students to a range of international security issues in the Asia-Pacific; and 2) provide students with the analytical tools to critically evaluate some of the contemporary policy debates on Asian security. By the end of this course, students should have a more nuanced understanding of security threats and challenges in the Asia-Pacific and also be able to apply (and critique) some of the theoretical framework in understanding the international relations of the region.