Best Yang Wen Podcasts (2024)

1
#36 - Enigmas: The story of Singapore's first spy chief (with Simon Tay) 36:42

13d ago36:42

36:42

Most of us are familiar with famous intelligence agencies such as the American CIA, the British MI6 and Israel’s Mossad. But did you know Singapore has its own spy agency known as the Security and Intelligence Division (SID)? Its first chief was Tay Seow Huah, who helped build Singapore’s early intelligence capabilities during the height of the Col…

1
#35 - Housing a nation: The history of urban redevelopment in Singapore (with Loh Kah Seng) 38:03

2M ago38:03

38:03

The Singapore Heritage Fest this year celebrates our nation's rich built heritage. One of the most striking examples of this are the public housing estates which dominate Singapore’s urban landscape. How did we remake the island’s colonial era urban spaces into Singapore’s earliest HDB estates? How did rehousing Singaporeans change our lifestyles a…

1
#34 - From Imperial to Singaporean: The history of animals in Singapore (with Timothy Barnard) 34:00

3M ago34:00

34:00

When we study and discuss history in Singapore, we usually focus on the social and political history of this country. However, the people’s relationship with this island’s natural environment also tells a rich story of its own. Today, we speak to Associate Professor Timothy Barnard from the National University of Singapore about his new edited book…

1
#33 - Temple Tracks: The history of Indian labourers in the Malayan Railways (with Vineeta Sinha) 37:10

5M ago37:10

37:10

When we think about the history of Indians in British Malaya, their work in the rubber estates usually comes to mind first. But Indians also helped construct, operate and maintain the Malayan Railways that stretched across the peninsula and connected Singapore as well. Along with the tracks came numerous Hindu temples and shrines that shaped Malaya…

1
#32 - Arc of Containment: UK & US engagement in cold war Malaya & Singapore (with Ngoei Wen-Qing) 36:05

6M ago36:05

36:05

When we think about Southeast Asia during the Cold War, we usually think just about Indochina and the Vietnam War. But British counterinsurgency strategies and engagement with nationalist elites in Malaya and Singapore also influenced America’s anti-communist policies in the region. Today, we speak to Associate Professor Ngoei Wen-Qing from the Sin…

1
#31 - Before he was President: Yusof Ishak & the role of Yang di-Pertuan Negara 35:02

11M ago35:02

35:02

Before he was President of Singapore, Yusof Ishak was the Yang di-Pertuan Negara which directly translates to “He Who is Made Lord”. Singaporeans generally know little about this role, other than it was the predecessor of the current presidency and a symbol of self-government. But in fact, the British, Federation of Malaya, and Singapore leaders al…

1
#30 - Writing a fair history of NTUC FairPrice (with Sue-Ann Chia) 20:44

12M ago20:44

20:44

NTUC FairPrice is such a household icon in Singapore that it’s more famous than the union movement itself. But how did NTUC come to operate a supermarket chain in the first place? Today, we speak to Sue-Ann Chia, co-editor of a new book titled “The Price of Being Fair” which chronicles FairPrice’s 50 years in business. We discuss FairPrice’s beginn…

1
#29 - A Historyogi Episode From An Even Smaller Island (with Neil Humphreys) 37:27

12M ago37:27

37:27

In 1996, an Ang Moh arrived in Toa Payoh to start a new life. He loved Singapore’s idiosyncrasies so much that he decided to turn his humorous observations of everyday life here into a series of books. Today, we speak to Neil Humphreys, author of Notes From An Even Smaller Island (2001) and numerous other titles, about his take on 1990s Singapore, …

1
#28 - The Beginner's Guide to Singapore's Queer history (with Roy Tan) 44:31

1y ago44:31

44:31

Long before Pink Dot and the repeal of Section 377A, Singapore had a colourful Queer history of recreation, repression, and resistance during the 20th century. Today, we speak to Roy Tan, a veteran activist and archivist who founded the Singapore LGBT Encyclopedia Wiki. We discuss the history of activism, AIDS, gay bars, entrapment operations, medi…

1
#27 - The story of Choo Seng Quee, Singapore's greatest football coach (With Reynold Pereira) 27:12

1y ago27:12

27:12

Looking at Singapore’s football scene today, it is hard to imagine that we once enjoyed a golden age in football. But we did enjoy that golden age. The man often credited for nurturing it is Choo Seng Quee. Also known as Uncle Choo, he coached the Singapore national team to victory at the iconic 1977 Malaysia Cup final. Today, we speak to Reynold P…

1
#26 - The history & cultural impact of Singapore's early shopping malls (With Liew Kai Khiun) 32:19

1+ y ago32:19

32:19

The physical shopping mall is increasingly seen as out of date with the rise of online shopping. However, shopping malls were once considered major symbols of Singapore’s rapid modernisation. They became homes to youth culture, video arcades and even artistic protest. Today, we speak to Assistant Professor Liew Kai Khiun from Hong Kong Metropolitan…

1
#25- Journeying through Singapore's little-known LGBT history (With Isaac Tng) 20:56

1+ y ago20:56

20:56

Singapore is a city renowned for its reputation as a stern, conservative environment. But history reveals a more colourful past, where queer people carved out spaces for their own voices despite overwhelming discrimination. Today, we speak to Isaac Tng, who has curated a walking tour exploring Singapore’s LGBT past, and discuss the significance of …

1
#24 - Curating 135 years of student writing at Raffles Institution (With Theophilus Kwek & Lara Tan) 26:31

1+ y ago26:31

26:31

Raffles Institution celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2023. The school is more than an institution, weaving itself into Singapore’s history through the decades. Nowhere is this documented better than in The Rafflesian, which has been the official school magazine since 1886, and many other student publications. Today, we speak to Theophilus Kwek a…

1
#23 - The history & design of Singapore's Kranji War Memorial (With Athanasios Tsakonas) 30:33

1+ y ago30:33

30:33

Generations of Singapore students will remember going on learning journeys to the Kranji War Memorial. But few of us know why it's in Kranji in the first place or how its design came about. Today, we speak to Athanasios Tsakonas, an Australian architect, who has researched the history of Kranji War Memorial’s construction and its perception by vari…

1
#22 - Gender, sexuality & power dynamics in Colonial Singapore (A conversation with Aydin Quach) 30:54

2y ago30:54

30:54

Large numbers of Chinese men arrived in colonial Singapore to do domestic work in European households. They often worked under the supervision of white women who managed the households while their husbands took care of official business. Other Chinese men joined the local sex trade, servicing male European clients. Today, we speak to Aydin Quach, a…

1
#21 - The Cold War history of the Philippine Chinese (A conversation with Chien-Wen Kung) 36:47

2y ago36:47

36:47

From the 1950s to the 1970s, no Chinese community in Southeast Asia was more vigilant in identifying and rooting out suspected communists, and committed to mobilising against the People's Republic of China as the Philippine Chinese. Today, we speak to Assistant Professor Chien-Wen Kung from the National University of Singapore, about his new book, …

1
#20 - Building opposition alliances in electoral autocracies (A conversation with Elvin Ong) 32:17

2y ago32:17

32:17

Building opposition pre-electoral alliances significantly enhances the chances of opposition victory against dominant incumbent autocrats. But opposition parties, including in Singapore, frequently find it difficult to make the costly compromises necessary for inter-party cooperation. When and how do opposition parties build pre-electoral alliances…

1
#19 - The history of Buddhist advocacy & diplomacy in Singapore (A conversation with Jack Chia) 23:51

2y ago23:51

23:51

Venerable Hong Choon may not be a familiar name to many younger Singaporeans. But the former President of the Singapore Buddhist Federation played an important role in diplomacy between Singapore and the People’s Republic of China in the 1980s. Today, we speak to Assistant Professor Jack Chia from the National University of Singapore, on Venerable …

1
Chinatown Workers Speak Out: How Yuh-Line Niou & the Chinatown Elites Created a Racially-Targeted Wage Theft Crisis 27:44

2y ago27:44

27:44

Yuh-Line Niou, a self-proclaimed "progressive" Asian American politician running for Congress, was recently rumored for being involved in money-laundering related to the Panama papers. If you really wanna dig up her actual involvement in theft, corruption, and money laundering that's backed up by concrete evidence, look no further than her own dist…

1
#18 - The Eight Immortals of Singapore's Civil Service ( A conversation with Peh Shing Huei) 25:47

2y ago25:47

25:47

Singapore’s pioneer generation of political leaders, known as the Old Guard, are well known in our history. However, the civil servants who oversaw the implementation of policies and projects during that era have largely been forgotten. In fact, eight individuals were so influential they were known as the eight immortals: George Bogaars, Andrew Che…

1
#17 - Workers' perspectives of Singapore's industrial history (A conversation with Loh Kah Seng) 39:28

2+ y ago39:28

39:28

The political story of Singapore’s industrialisation is well-known, including the role of Jurong Industrial Estate and Dr Goh Keng Swee. However, the stories of the Singaporeans who worked in these factories have rarely been discussed in detail until now. Today, we speak to Dr Loh Kah Seng, co-author of the book Theatres of Memory: Industrial Herit…

1
#16 - The rise of Hindu nationalism in India & beyond (A conversation with Mohan Dutta) 37:18

2+ y ago37:18

37:18

Hindutva, the predominant form of Hindu nationalism in India, has emerged as a powerful and polarising force. Hindutva aims to ultimately transform India from a secular republic into a Hindu state. Since the election of Narendra Modi in 2014, followers of Hindutva have become bolder in targeting minorities and critics with intimidation and violence…

1
#15 - Are dialogues still relevant with rising polarisation? (A conversation with Nazhath Faheema) 36:16

2+ y ago36:16

36:16

A series of racist incidents took place in Singapore last year, raising questions about how we should tackle such issues more decisively. Opinions are split on whether there should be more dialogue or whether culprits should face stiffer legal penalties. Today, we speak to Nazhath Faheema, Founder and President of hash.peace, a social harmony advoc…

1
#14 - What does AUKUS mean for Singapore & the Indo-Pacific? (A conversation with Euan Graham) 31:15

3y ago31:15

31:15

In September this year, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia announced the AUKUS security pact, which includes an agreement to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines. This development has been both welcomed and criticised by countries in the Indo-Pacific region. Today, we speak to Dr Euan Graham, Senior Fellow for Asia Pac…

1
#13 - Shaping Singaporeans' attitudes towards China (A conversation with Sense Hofstede) 33:39

3y ago33:39

33:39

The rise of an increasingly affluent and assertive China is dramatically changing our strategic environment. As a Chinese majority country, Singapore’s ties with China have special significance. Today, we speak to Sense Hofstede, a PhD candidate in Comparative Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore, on the complex history of the loca…

1
Are We Duped by Our Education? The Ethnic Elites and the Maintenance of a Racial Underclass (w/ Mahir Rahman) 20:01

3y ago20:01

20:01

Mahir Rahman is a graduating college student specialized in medicine and optometry at CUNY Baruch and an organizer in Manhattan Chinatown. Fight the New York State's and its ethnic elites' racism against our workers and community by joining the March Against Displacement and Racial Violence on September 26, 11 A.M. @ 150 Elizabeth St.…

1
#12 - Collecting the oral histories of Queer Singaporeans (A conversation with Hannah) 17:01

3y ago17:01

17:01

Oral history is an increasingly popular method of recording the experiences of groups that may be left out of official documented archives or from national narratives. Today, we speak to Hannah, founder of the Singapore Queer Oral History Archive (Link), on why she has embarked on this project to collect the stories of Singapore’s LGBT community an…

1
#11 - The history of Singapore's Blogfather (A conversation with mrbrown) 50:31

3y ago50:31

50:31

Lee Kin Mun, better known as mrbrown, is known as the Blogfather of Singapore and has become a cultural icon with his skits and witty takes on life here. Today, we speak to mrbrown on his beginnings, reactions to his memorable bak chor mee podcast and newspaper column, his creative process, and his endurance as an influencer for more than two decad…

1
#10 - How can we effectively tackle racism in Singapore? (A conversation with Sharvesh) 23:51

3y ago23:51

23:51

Singapore has recently seen a surge in discussions on racial discrimination after several troubling incidents, including physical attacks. Today, we speak to Sharvesh, co-founder of the Instagram account @minorityvoices, on what the spike in discussions about racism means, whether it is valid to criticise anti-racism advocacy as “importing Western …

1
#9 - The history & effects of Singapore's media regulation policies (A conversation with Cherian George) 29:11

3y ago29:11

29:11

Singapore Press Holdings recently announced major structural changes to its media business, which has suffered losses for many years. Today, we speak to Professor Cherian George, a media scholar from Hong Kong Baptist University’s School of Communication, on the history of Singapore’s media regulation, the application of “calibrated coercion” by th…

1
#8 - How should Singapore handle death, grief & funerals? (A conversation with Bernard Chen) 33:18

3y ago33:18

33:18

The ongoing pandemic has caused a wave of death, grief and mourning across the world. But even before Covid-19, Singapore has been dealing with how best to support an ageing population as our seniors gradually pass on. Today, we speak to Bernard Chen, who previously worked in the funeral industry and has written extensively about bereavement issues…

1
How overworking makes us collectively poorer (w/ Zishun Ning) 30:15

3y ago30:15

30:15

This episode is devoted to those who think of "work fewer hours a day" as a lofty ideal. While our jobs certainly don't pay us enough to survive in cities like New York, the common-place bargain for more hours actually ends up making us even poorer. Zishun Ning from the Ain't I a Woman?! Campaign explains why.…

1
#7 - The history & significance of The Substation in Singapore (A conversation with T Sasitharan) 26:48

3y ago26:48

26:48

The Substation, an independent arts venue at Armenian Street, recently announced its impending closure to much dismay after operating for 31 years. Today, we speak to Mr T Sasitharan, Cultural Medallion winner and former Artistic Director of the Substation, on the Substation’s history and significance. We also discuss what needs to change in the st…

1
Self Care: Who's Got Time for That?! (w/ Jianela @Tia.Talks) 27:26

3+ y ago27:26

27:26

Sam and Sarah speak to Jianela from Tia.Talks on work schedules, self care, minimum wage, and our lack of control of time and health.

1
#6 - The Beginner's Guide to the Five Power Defence Arrangements (A conversation with Euan Graham) 31:25

3+ y ago31:25

31:25

The Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) turn 50 this year. However, the FPDA, which brings together Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, is little known by the public and even by non-defence officials. Today, we speak to Dr Euan Graham, Senior Fellow for Asia Pacific Security at the International Institute for Stra…

1
#5 - The history of Singapore's fight against AIDS (A conversation with Roy Chan) 31:42

3+ y ago31:42

31:42

AIDS is an illness that still carries social stigma and moral indignation. The situation was especially worse during the 1980s and 1990s when most patients died painful deaths and moral panic influenced public rejection of those from marginalised communities. Today, we speak to Professor Roy Chan, President of Action for AIDS, on the early fight ag…

1
Adjunct Professors and Students Should Unite Around Long-hour Workday (w/ Kai Wen Yang) 11:14

3+ y ago11:14

11:14

Sarah speaks with Kai Wen Yang (PhD, Sociology, SUNY Binghamton) who has worked as an adjunct professor for over a decade.

1
Intro 2:03

3+ y ago2:03

2:03

Welcome to GenO (Generation Overworked), a podcast brought to you by Youth Against Sweatshops. Why are so many of us working 60, 70, 80 hours a week? And our lives, friendships and relationships are always suffering and pushed to the side. Meanwhile so many of us are unemployed and underemployed. We face long stretches of having no income of spendi…

1
End the 24-hour workday NOW! (w/ The Ain't I a Woman?! Campaign) 27:33

3+ y ago27:33

27:33

In the 1st episode of #genO by YAS (Youth Against Sweatshops), Sarah chats with Samantha and Yolanda about what young people have learned from the organized home care workers of the Ain't I a Woman?! Campaign. The episode ends with a special announcement of call to action on March 8, 2021, the International Working Women's Day. Join them to celebra…

1
#4 - The Beginner's Guide to the South China Sea dispute (A conversation with Collin Koh) 32:41

3+ y ago32:41

32:41

The South China Sea dispute has gained increasing prominence in recent years, with China being especially aggressive with its claims. Today, we speak to Dr Collin Koh, Research Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, on some basic questions about the dispute. We discuss its history, the significance of the nine-dash line, the a…

1
#3 - What should Stamford Raffles' place be in Singapore's history? (A conversation with Faris Joraimi) 33:39

3+ y ago33:39

33:39

In recent years, there has been a growing movement to confront the ugly history of colonialism. In particular, activists have targeted enduring symbols of colonialists & slave traders, such as place names and statues. In Singapore, discussion has centred around the problematic history of Sir Stamford Raffles. Today, we speak to Faris Joraimi, a co-…

1
#2 - Understanding the History of Disease Control in Singapore (A conversation with Loh Kah Seng & Hsu Li Yang) 36:42

3+ y ago36:42

36:42

As Singapore and the rest of the world battle the covid 19 pandemic, the history of infectious diseases provides some lessons on how their spread is affected by social and cultural factors, and cannot be resolved with purely medical responses. Today, we speak to historian Dr Loh Kah Seng and Associate Professor Hsu Li Yang, an infectious diseases e…

1
#1 - Behind the History in Charlie Chan Hock Chye (A conversation with Sonny Liew) 30:33

3+ y ago30:33

30:33

In 2015, the graphic novel The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye captured public attention when its grant was withdrawn by the National Arts Council. Despite this, the book gained widespread critical acclaim both locally and internationally for its creative take on Singapore’s history. Today, we speak to its author Sonny Liew on his research process an…

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