Across these assessments, reviewers describe a body of scholarship characterised by critical independence, interdisciplinary range, and sustained engagement with public questions. The work moves between politics, media, and culture, combining theoretical argument with close attention to institutions, texts, and social contexts. Reviewers particularly emphasise its capacity to connect conceptual analysis with contemporary political and cultural problems, from governance and inequality to identity, ideology, and social change. They also identify a recurring concern with making theoretically ambitious work accessible beyond disciplinary boundaries. Taken together, the assessments present scholarship that is critical without being doctrinaire, interdisciplinary without losing analytical focus, and attentive to the relationship between intellectual inquiry and public life.
Professor Donald Low, Letter, 23 October 2019:
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" ... in our polarised and polarising societies ..., our academic institutions face unprecedented challenges. Their traditional roles as centres for independent scholarship and non-partisan dialogue, and as trusted sources of expertise are coming under threat. Increasingly, our post-modern societies question the value of universities’ neutrality and non-partisanship. More so than before, our universities need thoughtful, independent, socially impactful and critical minds to address society’s most vexatious and contentious problems. ... In this respect, I can think of no better scholar than Kenneth to meet this need. ... In these politically charged and fragmented times, our universities need more of these silo-defying, silo-busting scholars.”
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Mohan Dutta, Dean’s Chair Professor of Communication at Massey University, and Director of the Center for Culture-Centered Approach to Research and Evaluation (CARE):
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"Can movies build registers for bringing about social change amidst the devastating effects of neoliberal globalization and the global rise of authoritarian populism? Professor Kenneth Paul Tan, one of the most significant public intellectuals of Singapore, grapples with this vital question of our times, exploring the ways in which cinema can build our capacities for collective deliberation to build a just and sustainable world. The striking geographic expanse of the book and the brilliant analysis of the questions of poverty, inequality, massive ecological destruction, authoritarian populism and revolution offer conceptual fodder for exploring the ways in which the craft of moviemaking can connect audiences with their moral feelings and intuitions."
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Douglas Kellner, Distinguished Research Professor of Education, Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, UCLA:\
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"In Movies To Save Our World, Kenneth Paul Tan explores how cinematic texts present poverty, inequality and environmental destruction in today’s global world. Tan engages the films of Michael Moore and other major documentary filmmakers, as well as significant narrative fictional texts, to explore how cinema can help us see the problems, challenges, and inequities of the world, as well as possible solutions. The result is a probing and provocative text that enables us to envision the political possibilities of contemporary cinema."
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Francesco Mancini, Associate Professor, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore:
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"Learning from films is something I always enjoyed, as I love both movies and books. Kenneth combined his immense knowledge in the art of filmmaking (he is the founding chair of the Asian Film Archive) and his profession of political scientist to distill lessons from 80 movies and documentaries for some of the most pressing challenges of our times: poverty, inequality, environment, and social justice. He provides a solid intellectual framework in chapter 1 and then proceeds to critically analyze the documentaries and movies of his choice. Images are very powerful educational tool, because they can connect more easily with our emotions and intuitions in a way that graphs and data cannot. Great read!"
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Kai Ostwald (2019) Book review in Pacific Affairs, 92(4). Full article available here:
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"Reading this book will do much to counter the all-too-ubiquitous, one-dimensional characterizations of Singapore, as it covers a wide range of caricature-busting ground in a mere 75 pages. Nearly all of it is in simple, jargon-free prose appropriate for a general audience or university classroom. Moreover, it largely avoids the pronounced pro- or anti-establishment overtones that mark much of the academic work on Singapore. ... Singapore: Identity, Brand, Power is highly effective as a starting point for understanding Singapore and as a reference for those already familiar with the country."
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M. Kerem Coban (2019) Book review in Chinese Public Administration Review, 10(1). Full article available here:
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"Kenneth Paul Tan draws an up-to-date, insightful, critical and detailed analysis of Singapore’s past achievements, current politics, and implications for the future. The book is an excellent discussion starter for scholars, policymakers, and those who are interested in current Singapore politics and policy implications for other Asian countries such as China."
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