Space and strategy : a study of Islamic humanitarian organisations in Singapore

• Main Author: Muhammad Khairul Anwar Khalil
• Other Authors: Jesse Hession Grayman
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: DRNTU::Social sciences::Sociology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/62389
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Humanitarian action often takes place within a space. However, the notion of ‘space’ does not have to be physical. Using Löw’s (2008) notion of space construction, this paper attempts to explore humanitarian action within the Muslim community in Singapore. This paper describes Singapore’s Islamic humanitarian space wherein the mains actors – Islamic humanitarian organisations, donors and the state – situate themselves in relation to one another. Within this space where the state seems to have a close management of affairs, Islamic humanitarian organisations appear to be subservient to state regulations. However, these organisations have adopted a strategy of compliance to maneouvre their way through and carry out their humanitarian work. In fact, this strategy has aided their efforts within the Islamic humanitarian space.