Tschacher, Torsten. (2018). Race, Religion, and the ‘Indian Muslim’ predicament in Singapore. New York: Routledge. +Pp. 242. ISBN 9780367273033. Price: Hard Back $160.

Abstract

The broad question that Tschacher seeks to explore in this book is how the Singapore state’s construct of race as a primary marker of identity impacts religious formation across racial boundaries. Specifically, he explores the question of what it means to be an Indian Muslim in Singapore where ‘Muslim’ is synonymous with ‘Malay’ and clear racial boundaries are maintained for the purpose of managing social issues and distributing social welfare services. He approaches this question by examining structural pressures from state policies that affect political identity and community.