Thinking critically about liberal arts education: Yale-NUS College in Singapore

Abstract

This chapter proposes a form of critical thinking that is contextually appropriate for the flourishing of liberal arts education in Singapore. Focusing on the controversies surrounding National University of Singapore (NUS)-Yale College in Singapore, the chapter explores the different notions, presuppositions and expression of critical thinking by various educational stakeholders. The chapter examines the different conceptions and presuppositions of critical thinking held by various parties who are involved in the controversies. It provides an introduction to NUS-Yale College, followed by a discussion of two controversies related to the College. The first controversy originated from the concerns and opposition from the Yale faculty and other stakeholders in the US regarding freedom of expression in Singapore. The second controversy occurred in early 2016. It began when Singapore's Ambassador-at-Large, Chan Heng Chee, who is also a governing board member of Yale-NUS College, spoke at the 24th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review in Geneva in January 2016.