Jamie Peck delivers Lim Chong Yah Professorship Lecture

Professor Jamie Peck delivers his unflinching critique of the 'creative city' argument
Professor Jamie Peck delivers his unflinching critique of the ‘creative city’ argument

Professor Jamie Peck spared no punches in his Lim Chong Yah Professorship lecture on April 27th when he delivered a ‘withering critique’ of Richard Florida’s ‘creative class’ agenda. Present at the special lecture, titled ‘Creative City Limits: Winners and Losers in the Creative Economy’, were guests of honour Professor Lim Chong Yah himself and Mrs Lim Chong Yah.

Peck is the Canada Research Chair in Urban and Regional Political Economy and Professor of Geography at the University of British Columbia and has been with FASS for this semester. One of the world’s foremost economic and political geographers, he became drawn into the debate on the idea of a ‘creative class’ in the early 2000s. Richard Florida had then formulated the concept that a city’s dynamic economic success is predicated on the flourishing of a ‘creative class’, a mobile, highly-skilled, cosmopolitan elite.  Public policy makers and city planners are therefore encouraged to cater to the cultural and lifestyle needs of this ‘creative class’.

Peck argued that the reason for the continued inordinate success of Florida’s argument is that the premise offers a low-cost but high-hype makeover for a city which neatly fits the needs of public policy makers. It is emblematic of a ‘fast policy’ fix which can be reduplicated as a generizable model to suit the needs of any given city. The only problem with this ‘creativity fix’ is that there is absolutely no evidence that the prescription has worked in any city in the world where it has been administered. It is ultimately an attractive yet baseless thesis.

The lecture ended with a robust question and answer session and with Prof Peck thanking FASS for his visiting tenure enjoyed here at NUS.

The AlumNUS, Issue #85

Alumni Magazine of the National University of Singapore

April-June 2011, Issue No. 85

The following articles are related to FASS. To view an article, click on the title of that article. To close an article, click on the title of that article again.

1. U@l!ve Inspires!

2. Three Passions, One Dream Job

3. Tales of 3 Cities

4. Capturing the Underbelly

5. Re: Almost Left Behind

6. Alumni Buzz

Internship with Health Promotion Board Marketing & Communications Division

Established in 2001, the Health Promotion Board (HPB) has a vision to build a nation of healthy and happy people.

Although residents in Singapore today enjoy good health with high life expectancy and low mortality rates, we want to further improve our health status and continue to enjoy good health as we age.

To achieve this, HPB assumes the role of the main driver for national health promotion and disease prevention programmes. Our goal is to increase the quality and years of healthy life and prevent illness, disability and premature death.

HPB implements programmes that reach out to the population, specifically children, adults and the elderly. These programmes include health and dental services for school children, BreastScreen Singapore, AIDS Education Programme, CervicalScreen Singapore, Childhood Injury Prevention Programme, Mental Health Education Programme, National Myopia Prevention Programme, Physical Activity, National Smoking Control Programme, Nutrition Programme, Osteoporosis Education Programme, Workplace Health Promotion Programme, HPB Online, HealthLine, Health Information Centre and HealthZone. New programmes will also be initiated over time to address health concerns among the community.

A healthy nation comprises people who can embrace life fully. HPB is committed to helping residents in Singapore attain optimal health through our health promotion and disease prevention programmes.

The HPB Corporate Marketing & Communications Division handles a wide array of communications efforts, leading the national effort to build a nation of health and happy people through the promotion of health excellence and empowerment of individuals to take ownership of their health. HPB’s Corporate Marketing and Communications (CMC) Division plays a key role in this effort by ensuring that the health information is provided to the different segments of the population through the optimal media channels.

Job Title:

Internship with Health Promotion Board Marketing & Communications Division (3 interns required)

Job Description

The internship will provide invaluable exposure in multiple facets of integrated marketing communications (IMC) from public relations, above-the-line marketing, below-the-line marketing, social media marketing, partnership development, contact centre, exhibition and event management. Over the internship, interns would be deployed to at least one of the IMC functions which match their areas of interest, where they would participate in and take responsibilities over the planning and execution of projects and duties.

Specific projects / Learning Outcomes:

You will be attached to the Corporate Marketing & Communications Division. You will have the opportunity to work with all the teams in the division and assist with the implementation of various campaigns. This internship will provide students will unmatched on-the-job learning experience. You will be equipped with hands-on knowledge in social marketing, public relations, media advocacy and digital marketing. Students can expect to gain an insight into the practice of health communications and its role in public health. You will be assigned a mentor to guide you through your internship.

These enable interns to appreciate the strategic scope and synergy of integrated marketing communications and also directly and pro-actively experience the tactical operations and execution.

Requirements:

Microsoft Office; Ability in design software would be useful. Good written and verbal abilities

Monthly allowance:

S$600

Start Date and End Date:

9 May 2011 to 30 July 2011 (9.00am to 6.30pm)

Please email your CV to Mr Steven Lim at steven_lim@hpb.gov.sg

Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2011: Roger Hatchuel Academy

MediaCorp is the Singapore representative of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. They would like to invite students from the National University of Singapore to send in their applications for a chance to participate in the Roger Hatchuel Academy programme. Attendance for the course is free but the selected student will have to bear the costs of the return air-tickets and hotel accommodation.

The Roger Hatchuel Academy offers students a chance to experience Cannes for themselves, providing a complimentary week-long course to a select group of advertising students from around the world. Under the guidance of the Academy’s Dean, Richard Boyko, Director and Professor of VCU Brandcenter, and accompanied throughout the week by the Academy’s tutor, Clive Challis, Head of the Advertising Course at Central Saint Martins in London, these students will follow an intensive schedule of activities, which include learning about industry trends; attending daily training sessions, discussions, tutorials, and Festival activities; and the exclusive opportunity to hear from the Academy’s industry-savvy guest speakers.

Only one student from each country will be selected for a place in the Roger Hatchuel Academy.

Students who are keen to attend the Roger Hatchuel Academy should submit their CV and a short writeup on why they should be selected for the programme via email at regina@mediacorp.com.sg by 29 April 2011. The selected student will be informed by 16 May 2011.

Students would need to commit from 19 to 25 June 2011 for the course.

More details on the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity can be found from http://www.canneslions.com/

Teach. Apply for MOE On-Campus Interviews!

Some jobs are merely those: jobs. They require you to drag yourself up from bed every morning and then to drag yourself off to another dull day of work, where you deal with task after dreary task. In exchange for undergoing this daily routine that leaves you drained of your energy every time, you get to make a steady income and to lead a stable, secure life.

In the teaching force, we make far more than just money. Every day, we make children excited with the wonders of science and the majesty of mathematics, and make them fall madly in love with the beauty of the arts and the humanities. Every day, we make our schools the place where students can discover their talents, and aspire to greater heights.

Our teachers make a difference. What do you make?

We will be having on-campus interviews at NUS in May 2011. Apply now to be considered for the interview.

MOE On-Campus Interview

MOU signed with the University of Edinburgh to establish joint PhDs

Prof Dorothy Miell (Edinburgh) and Prof Brenda Yeoh (FASS) signing the MOU
Prof Dorothy Miell (Vice Principal and Head of the College of Humanities and Social Science, University of Edinburgh) and Prof Brenda Yeoh (Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, NUS) signing the MOU

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, NUS, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University of Edinburgh concerning Joint PhDs between the two institutions.  The MOU allows for students of either institution to spend a period of time at the other institution, undertaking research activities and interacting with faculty members there.

Supervision of the candidate’s thesis will be provided by a joint committee comprising faculty members from both institutions who are experts in the candidate’s field.  The scheme will follow general SEP schemes in that students will only pay the fees of their home institution.

FASS and Edinburgh University’s College of Humanities and Social Science share a number of research interests, including Science, Technology and Society (or Science, Technology and Innovation Studies, as it is known in Edinburgh) which will likely be the first topic in the exchange scheme.  Other research areas of mutual interest to Edinburgh and NUS include migration, SEA and South Asian studies, development studies, cities, environment studies, and others.

Students interested in the NUS-Edinburgh Joint PhD programme should contact the Division of Graduate Studies, Dean’s Office, FASS.