People Matter

Essays by David Chan

This book is a collection of twenty-one essays by Professor David Chan, which first appeared in The Straits Times from October 2011 to January 2015. The essays discussed a wide range of topics including happiness and well-being, fairness perceptions, the immigration debate and population policies, social cohesion and integration, social mobility, trust in society, public expectations, rationality and emotions, approaches to policy making, modes of thinking, democracy, shared values and principles, and the social compact between people and Government in Singapore. A common theme that runs through these essays is what David calls “People Matter”. “People Matter” refers to both the critical issues that matter to the people and the idea that the way people think, feel and act should matter to policy making and nation building in Singapore.

Contents:

• Drill into What Makes Singaporeans Happy
• Fairness: Processes are as Important as Outcome
• The Heart of the Immigration Debate
• The 5C Challenges of Cohesion
• Five Cs to Manage Integration
• The Goals Matter, So Does the Journey
• Singaporeans' Well-Being: It's Not Just About Emotions
• Population Priorities and Perceptions
• Break the Negative Spiral over the Haze
• Taking Steps to Raise Social Mobility in Singapore
• Sustainability is Key
• Trust is a Many Splendoured Thing
• The Art of Disagreeing — It Can Yield Some Good
• From Emotions to Shared Values
• Moving Forward with Great Expectations
• Strike the Right Balance to Make Singapore a "City in a Country"
• Democracy of Deeds and Voices
• A Paradoxical Approach to Policymaking
• Why Bronze Medallists are Happier Than Silver Winners
• Values, Outrage and the Good Society in 2014
• It Takes Two to Tango, and Progress

Readership: Academics, undergraduate and graduates students, professionals interested in social and behavioural issues in Singapore; civil servants, NGOs; general public
Key Features:

• This is the first collection of a series of essays that examine the various social and behavioural issues that have continuously received wide public and policy attention both in and outside Singapore. Each essay presents a state-of-the-art analysis based on scientific rigour and practical relevance, identifies critical unresolved issues and proposes innovative solutions to the problems identified
• The author is well-known academic, consultant, and public intellectual both locally and internationally. The diversity of the essays and their insights will provide a very wide reach and multiplier effect in the readership market
• The book has received a long list of book endorsements from 37 public figures who are leaders in different sectors including Cabinet Ministers, academics and university leaders, and leaders in the public, private and people sectors