Soci@Sundown
Organised by the NUS Sociology Society Exco, Soci@Sundown is a series of discussion sessions which facilitates meaningful discourse on topics of sociological relevance that anyone can join. We aim to create a safe space for people to air their views and engage in mutual learning through debate and sharing. Soci@Sundown also allows sociology majors (or anyone interested in sociology) to meet and interact with one another!
Past Topics
GEN Z
Our inaugural Soci@Sundown session was centred around the topic of ‘Generation Z’ (those born between 1996-2010). As the majority of current FASS undergraduates are Gen Z-ers, we found it valuable to discuss our common experiences - how do we feel about issues like mental health and career choices? How do we even distinguish Gen Z from previous generations? What will our futures look like?
XENOPHOBIA
Due to the coronavirus outbreak, there has been an outburst of arguably xenophobic behavior and comments amongst the Singaporean community. Most notably, an online petition calling for the ban of Chinese nationals from entering Singapore was published and had garnered thousands of signatures from the local community. Is this an act of xenophobia? What exactly is xenophobia? Where do we draw the line between fearing contagion and discrimination?
DIGITAL INEQUALITY
Ever had to help your parent or other elderly on how to use a phone app? Is that how digital inequality works, or is there more to it?
This time, we will be exploring the topic of digital inequality and how the pandemic has exacerbated this issue in Singapore.
BLACK MIRROR'S
NOSEDIVE
We held a screening of Black Mirror’s Nosedive, which features a society in which people are rated from 1 to 5 stars based on social interactions. Their ratings affect their quality of lives - from their economic status to how others behave towards them. For Soci@Sundown, we linked Nosedive’s rating system to China’s upcoming social credit system - what are the concerns that arise with such a system? Will this affect the authenticity of basic human interaction, or is it a system that will be successful in maintaining civil behaviour?
Body Positivity
The body positivity movement is a relatively new social movement that has gained widespread cultural awareness in the recent years. Body positivity promotes the idea that all bodies are innately beautiful and should be accepted!
However, many have also shared that as the concept of body positivity becomes more widespread and commercialised, its original intentions have evolved as well as adapted new meanings. What are the implications of this and how does this affect the future of the body positivity movement?
imposter
sYndrome
We all had our moments of self-doubt - but why does this feeling persist even when we have clearly demonstrated some form of competence? Why do we constantly feel like we are never good enough and that people are just overestimating us? Let’s delve into the sociological imagination of Impostor Syndrome and explore how our individual anxieties may be embedded within stress-inducing social realities.