BUT INTERETHNIC MARRIAGES ARE RISING
While interracial friendships seem to be declining, interethnic marriages in Singapore have become more common over the past decade, raising the question of why this discrepancy exists.
According to the Department of Statistics’ 2023 report on Marriages and Divorces, interethnic marriages accounted for 18.1 per cent of all marriages, up from 17.8 per cent in 2013 and 11.5 per cent in 2003.
Addressing this trend, the IPS researchers said that, in reality, interracial friendships have not actually declined, considering that people are simply having fewer close friendships overall.
And if you zoom into the data on younger Singaporeans, they are in fact forming more diverse friendship ties, said the team.
“And it is in this context of growing interracial friendships among younger people that more are willing to explore a romantic relationship as well.”
The researchers also observed that compared with previous years, more people in the 2024 IPS-OnePeople.sg survey are comfortable with a spouse or in-law from another community.
This shift suggests that some of the traditional barriers to interethnic relationships have diminished, making such romantic connections more likely, they explained.
WHY THESE BONDS MATTER FOR SOCIETY
Although friendships and casual interactions across racial lines are relatively common here, the IPS researchers said the data shows that intra-racial friendships remain the norm due to cultural familiarity, language and shared experiences.
But this comfort with interacting within one’s own race comes with some uncomfortable truths.
“The lack of deep cross-racial friendships may make it harder for Singaporeans to develop a strong shared identity as a cohesive society, beyond formal policies promoting racial harmony,” said the researchers.
Dr Terence Chong, a sociologist at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, said if intra-racial relations are prevalent, there is a risk of cultural bubbles forming, where people do not only feel most at ease with their own ethnic groups but also grow uncomfortable with others.
“Over time, silos and faultlines will deepen, making it more difficult to imagine ourselves as a coherent national community,” he said.
The IPS researchers noted that a society fragmented along racial lines may face greater challenges in responding to crises.
“Strong interethnic social bonds are critical for preventing divisions from deepening into distrust or tension during national stressors, whether economic downturns, global conflicts, or racial incidents.”
To mitigate the risks of a fragmented society, the researchers said there needs to be continued emphasis on nurturing interracial bonds in workplaces, during National Service and through community activities to ensure such relationships persist into adulthood.
This could include forming racially diverse project teams at work, expanding mentorship and leadership development programmes that encourage cross-racial networking and promoting diversity in hiring and career advancement opportunities.
On a more individual level, Dr Chong noted that “majority blindspots” can hinder cross-racial friendships.
“For example, if the Chinese in a group start conversing in Mandarin, leaving the ethnic-minority colleague out, then such friendships will be stymied.”
Dr Chong stressed that regardless of whether the majority in a given setting is Chinese, Malay or Indian, it is crucial for them to be mindful of how their actions might affect those in the minority.
