Book Launch: Dialogues on Immigration and the Open Society
After some friendly pestering from six of his students curious about his thinking about immigration, a philosophy professor invites them to present their own ideas to him over a series of meetings throughout the term. This book is about their conversations. These dialogues introduce the reader to the most important ethical and political questions about immigration. They ask whether high levels of immigration pose a threat to civilization and consider the economics of immigration, whether states are justified in trying to control immigration, and whether everyone has a right to move or if only refugees can make so strong a claim. Finally, it considers the implications of a philosophy of immigration on the ideal of an open society.
*Tea Reception and Registration start at 6pm.
Contact: socsc_seminar@smu.edu.sg. Speaker Details: Author, , Chandran Kukathas
Professor of Political Science, SMU
Chandran Kukathas is Professor of Political Science at Singapore Management University. He was Dean of SMU’s School of Social Sciences and Lee Kong Chian Chair Professor of Political Science from 2019 to 2024 . Prior to joining SMU, he was Head, Department of Government at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) from 2015 to 2019. He also served as the Chair of Political Theory in the Department of Government and as Warde… RSVP: . Reserve a seat: https://forms.office.com/r/vdWsQ8zcdz. Type: Seminars & Workshops. Ceremonies & Special Events. Subject: Social Sciences & Humanities. Audience: Public. Academic Community. Alumni. Current Student. SMU Faculty & Staff.
Friday, January 23, 2026, 6:45 PM – 8:30 PM.
SMU Kwa Geok Choo Law Library
Learning Lab 3 & 4
55 Armenian St, Singapore 179943.
For more info visit forms.office.com. 29 Jan 2026 MST Panel Discussion - Sustainable Energy Transitions in Asia: What’s Next?
Infosessions
Asia's rapid economic growth, surging energy demands, and pressing energy security priorities create a uniquely complex landscape for transitioning to sustainable energy. The delicate balance of phasing out fossil fuels while ramping up renewable energy capacity presents distinct challenges and opportunities for innovation and regional collaboration.
Join us as our esteemed panellists delve into the diverse national contexts that are shaping Asia's energy trajectory. From energy diversification strategies to the nuances of rural and urban development, this discussion will provide invaluable insights into the multifaceted efforts driving the region's sustainable energy future.
This session is tailored for prospective graduate students and professionals eager to explore the dynamic field of sustainable energy in the region. Gain a deeper understanding of the opportunities and challenges ahead and discover how you can contribute to Asia's energy transformation.
RSVP: . Reserve a seat: https://smumst.smu.edu.sg/acton/fs/blocks/showLandingPage/a/45772/p/p-007a/t/page/fm/0. Event Details: Moderator: , Ishani Mukherjee
Associate Professor of Public Policy; Urban Fellow (Urban Governance)
SMU
Dr Ishani Mukherjee joined SMU in 2018. Her expertise include policy formulation and design; environmental and natural resource policy and management; policy tools for renewable energy and energy efficiency, particularly in Asia. She received her PhD in Public Policy from NUS, with a concentration on Environmental Policy and was the recipient of the World Future Foundation PhD Prize for Environmenta… Type: Information Sessions. Seminars & Workshops. Talks & Forums. Subject: Urban Management & Sustainability. Audience: Alumni. Current Student. Incoming Freshmen. Incoming PG Students. Professionals. Prospective Student. Public. SMU Faculty & Staff.
Thursday, January 29, 2026, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM.
This is a hybrid session.
In-person Session:
SMU Yong Pung How School of Law
Level 4, Function Lounge 4-02
55 Armenian Street, Singapore 179943
Virtual Session:
The virtual session will be conducted on Zoom.
IR & Cinema: Screening ‘The Nose Knows: Foreignness and Fortune in China
What can films tell us about international relations? We will explore this question by screening William A. Callahan’s documentary film ‘The Nose Knows: Foreigness and Fortune in China’ (2025, 23min), which has won six awards at film festivals in Asia and Europe.
There are so many different kinds of noses. But what can they tell us? Can they be political? Throughout Chinese history, noses have been used to separate Chinese people from foreigners. In the present day, they can also be the key to changing your destiny. If we know more about noses, perhaps we can better understand how China sees itself and its increasingly important place in the world.
Contact: socsc_seminar@smu.edu.sg. Speaker Details: Speakers' Bios, Author:
William A. Callahan
Professor of Political Science, SMU
William A. Callahan is Professor of Political Science at Singapore Management University. Before coming to SMU, Callahan was Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science. His research examines the interplay of theory, culture and politics in China and Asia, and visual global politics around the world. His most recent book, Sensible Politics: Visualizing International Relations… RSVP: . Reserve a seat: https://forms.office.com/r/TDma1v6ERX. Type: Seminars & Workshops. Subject: Social Sciences & Humanities. Audience: Public. SMU Faculty & Staff. Academic Community. Alumni. Current Student. Partners.
Tuesday, February 3, 2026, 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM.
SMU Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium (NAKA)
School of Accountancy, Level 2
60 Stamford Rd, Singapore 178900.
For more info visit forms.office.com. SOSS Seminar | The New Politics of Knowledge: Globalizing Knowledge and the Future of Intellectuals, Universities, Issues and Publics
How has the last decade amplified and challenged the themes of Kennedy’s 2015 book, Globalizing Knowledge? First discussed publicly at Singapore Management University in that year, we can see that concerns over intellectual responsibility and university accountability abide. However, changes in American and global power relations, anticipated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but finding new fulfillment in the proliferation of strongmen politics elsewhere, challenge how academic freedom is to be conceived and the politics of diversity and inclusion articulated. Kennedy draws on his own Brown University’s experience to characterize the recent past & anticipate alternative futures.
Contact: socsc_seminar@smu.edu.sg. Speaker Details: SPEAKER, , Michael D. Kennedy
Professor of Sociology and International and Public Affairs
Brown University
Michael D. Kennedy (@Prof_Kennedy) is a professor of sociology and international and public affairs at Brown
University. Across his career, he has worked in knowledge cultural sociology, with a particular focus on social movements and universities, and in global and transnational sociology, with particular concern for how various articulations of difference and solidarity travel. Kennedy works no… RSVP: . Reserve a seat: https://forms.office.com/r/Sd4Vphwv3J. Type: Seminars & Workshops. Subject: Social Sciences & Humanities. Audience: Public. Academic Community. Alumni. Current Student. SMU Faculty & Staff.
Thursday, February 12, 2026, 3:45 PM – 5:15 PM.
SMU Yong Pung How School of Law
Seminar Room 2-16, Level 2
55 Armenian St, Singapore 179943.
For more info visit forms.office.com. Ideas Festival 2026 | Building Resilient Legal Systems in the AI Age
Artificial intelligence is reshaping the global environment in which legal systems operate—not only by transforming how individuals, firms, and governments act, but also by reconfiguring the broader political economy that sustains them. Resilience in this context means ensuring that legal systems can anticipate, absorb, and adapt to technological disruption while continuing to deliver justice, maintain legitimacy, and safeguard rights. Without deliberate strategies for resilience, legal systems risk narrowing into brittle, tech-dominated structures: constrained in their options, vulnerable to capture, and unable to fulfil their core functions.
Engage with this panel that convenes experts across academia, government, and industry to explore how law can remain a stabilising force in the age of AI and to identify practical strategies for embedding resilience “by design” into legal institutions.
*Registration starts at 3.00pm. A light dinner reception will be served after the event.
Chatham House Rule applies…
Contact: socsc_seminar@smu.edu.sg. Speaker Details: Chair, , Jason Grant Allen
Director, Centre for Digital Law
Associate Professor of Law, SMU
Jason is Director, Centre for Digital Law and Associate Professor of Law at the Yong Pung How School of Law, Singapore Management University. His research spans law, technology, and political economy, with a focus on AI
governance, digital assets, and the concept of office in public law
Panellists, , Han-Wei Liu
Associate Professor of Law
Lee Kong Chian Fellow Deputy Director
Centre for Digital Law, SMU… RSVP: . Reserve a seat: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=ynmKyZpakUeiQ_Bq_WdGTUGH9G9u-WtAl9UVUOJ8iDJURFU5TVNKSFY4Q1dMMUhYUzkwS0xJM0VHTS4u&route=shorturl. Type: Seminars & Workshops. Subject: Social Sciences & Humanities. Audience: Public. Academic Community. Alumni. Current Student. SMU Faculty & Staff.
Thursday, March 12, 2026, 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM.
SMU Yong Pung How School of Law
Level 4, Function Lounge 4-2
55 Armenian Street, Singapore 179943.
For more info visit forms.office.com. Ideas Festival 2026 | Resilient Singapore: Reimagining the Civic Core through Environmental History
The history of Singapore’s urban centre is a showcase for resilience in the island city. Its changing landscape is a direct reflection of the things that have made Singapore, from the early port to the agricultural areas, military and civic development, to the reclamation projects. Their development has been the cornerstone of, and reflected, social and economic growth, as Singapore moved through good times, and bad. Each of these socio-economic shifts has left its memory inscribed into the landscape and with them, a story.
Starting from Armenian Street at the front of SMU’s Yong Pung How School of Law, this tour delves into the landscape under our feet, imagining a Singapore as it was at different points in its chronology, from the agricultural development of the nineteenth century, to the technological innovations of the early twentieth century, to the Japanese occupation, and beyond. This will be a predominantly social and environmental history, as opposed to a classic national history, one which will tel…
Contact: socsc_seminar@smu.edu.sg. Speaker Details: , Yong
The Urbanist Singapore
Yong is the brains and heart behind The Urbanist Singapore. With a deep passion for Singapore's heritage and urban design, he has led heritage walks as a hobby since 2010, bringing history to life for the community and a whole new generation. RSVP: . Reserve a seat: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=ynmKyZpakUeiQ_Bq_WdGTUGH9G9u-WtAl9UVUOJ8iDJUMTdZOE9NTkpHTUMxWUROM1NXWUJTS0Q3Ry4u&route=shorturl. Type: Seminars & Workshops. Information Sessions. Subject: Social Sciences & Humanities. Audience: Public. Academic Community. Alumni. Current Student. SMU Faculty & Staff.
Saturday, March 14, 2026, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM.
SMU Yong Pung How School of Law
Sheltered Lobby in front of SOL Main Entrance
55 Armenian Street, Singapore 179943.
For more info visit forms.office.com. Ideas Festival 2026 | Managing Technology and Trade Disruptions: Building Resilience in a Shifting International Landscape
We are entering a new era of global trade (dis)order, shaped by powerful waves of technological and economic disruption. From generative AI transforming production and services, to tariff escalations redrawing trade routes, these shifts are reconfiguring the foundations of international commerce. They bring real opportunities—efficiency gains from emerging technologies, new markets, and innovative business models—but also serious challenges, including fragmentation, heightened uncertainty, and systemic complexity. Together, these dynamics underscore the urgent need for resilience.
Bringing together diverse perspectives, this event will explore how businesses and other actors in the region can adapt to and navigate this fast-changing landscape. Key questions include: How can we better understand and prepare for emerging trends? Do these disruptions challenge our long-held assumptions? And how can actors remain resilient and agile in the face of volatility? Join us to exchange insights, build partnerships, and…
Contact: socsc_seminar@smu.edu.sg. Speaker Details: Chair: , Pasha L. Hsieh
Lee Kong Chian Professor of Law
Jean Monnet Chair in EU-ASEAN Law and Relations, SMU
Pasha is Lee Kong Chian Professor of Law and Jean Monnet Chair at SMU’s Yong Pung How School of Law. He has held visiting faculty and fellowship positions at the University of Melbourne, Seoul National University, and the United Nations University Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies.
Panellists: , Chris Humphrey
Executive Director, EU-ASEAN Business Council
Chris is… RSVP: . Reserve a seat: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=ynmKyZpakUeiQ_Bq_WdGTUGH9G9u-WtAl9UVUOJ8iDJUMlFGSjZVV1NBNzY5SVE4NzNQRUZJNVc5Ni4u&route=shorturl. Type: Seminars & Workshops. Subject: Social Sciences & Humanities. Audience: Public. Academic Community. Alumni. Current Student. SMU Faculty & Staff.
Tuesday, March 17, 2026, 3:40 PM – 5:00 PM.
SMU Administration Building, Level 6
Function Room 6-1
81 Victoria Street, Singapore 188065.
For more info visit forms.office.com. Ideas Festival 2026 | Still Worth Doing? A Public Conversation on the Future of Work
Perhaps the only thing clear about the future of work is its own uncertainty. Yet, amid economic disruption and the rise of AI, public discussion has mostly been limited to predicting available jobs and “employable” degrees. This panel shifts our attention back to the question of work and its role in social life. What will change in the everyday tasks we fulfil as workers, and what meaning should we give to such efforts? What sort of career is still worthy of human skill and emotion? How do we review a performance when labor is partly outsourced to technology?
Featuring researchers from across Singapore’s universities, this panel will discuss the changes and challenges in three major aspects of work: care, creativity, and communications. In looking ahead, this panel explores not only what jobs will likely persist, but how work must and should evolve. Join us to reimagine the future of work!
*Registration starts at 3.00pm. Light refreshment will be served during registration.
Contact: socsc_seminar@smu.edu.sg. Speaker Details: Chair: , Yasmin Y. Ortiga
Associate Professor of Sociology, SMU
Yasmin is Associate Professor of Sociology at SMU’s School of Social Sciences. She studies how the changing ideas of “skill” shapes how and why people migrate across borders. Her book, Stuck at Home: Pandemic Immobilities in the Nation of Emigration was published by Stanford University Press.
Panellists:
, Cheng Chi-Ying
Associate Professor of Psychology, SMU
Chi-Ying is Associate Professor of Psychology at School of Social… RSVP: . Reserve a seat: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=ynmKyZpakUeiQ_Bq_WdGTUGH9G9u-WtAl9UVUOJ8iDJUMjVNMUJHSzQ2UUVITFkyU1hMSkY4RFlQNC4u&route=shorturl. Type: Seminars & Workshops. Subject: Social Sciences & Humanities. Audience: Public. Academic Community. Alumni. Current Student. SMU Faculty & Staff.
Tuesday, March 24, 2026, 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM.
SMU Yong Pung How School of Law
Level 4, Function Lounge 4-2
55 Armenian Street, Singapore 179943.
For more info visit forms.office.com.