COVID19 Community Chronicles is a socialservice.sg podcast which documents community initiatives and discusses related structural or systemic challenges or issues. The podcast is hosted by Anchor and is also available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The full list of episodes are also available.

Subscribe to the monthly socialservice.sg newsletter and check out the socialservice.sg podcast!

The coronavirus pandemic has been described by some as “the great equaliser”, yet we now know the disproportionate impact of the virus. Individuals from low-income households and communities of colour are at higher risk of infection, serious illness, and death. And in this vein, the pandemic has revealed the persistent inequalities in our societies, including in Singapore.

In one of the most insightful and powerful conversations of the podcast series thus far, we speak with Professor Mohan Dutta on marginalisation and the role of academia. He explains the “culture-centred approach”, describes the prioritisation of those of the margins of the margins through sustained voice and communicative infrastructures, and draws from his centre’s research in Singapore and beyond.

Then, we consider the role of academia. Are us academics and researchers too used to being in the limelight? What about the exclusionary effect of academia and jargon? And what does change look like, both politically and economically as well as, academically?

Click here to listen to the episode.