The Social Cohesion Research Programme (SCRP) organised a seminar titled “Everyday Multiculturalism: Vernacular Shrines in our Neighbourhoods” on 3 December 2024. Featuring Dr Francis Lim, Associate Professor of Sociology at the School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, the seminar explored everyday vernacular shrines found in neighbourhoods across Singapore and their significance for multiculturalism in the country. The seminar was attended by participants from academia, think tanks, faith-based organisations and non-governmental organisations.
Dr Lim first provided a brief background of vernacular shrines and shared his motivations for launching a research project examining them. In his view, the presence, growth, and evolution of these informal everyday shrines represents the manifestation of a grassroots religious imaginary and underscores the religious pluralism in Singapore. Serving as social spaces for inter-ethnic and inter-religious interactions, these shrines play a vital role in fostering social harmony at the community level and, as such, merit greater recognition and conservation efforts.
As part of the seminar, Dr Lim screened the 30-minute documentary “Gods on Earth: Everyday Sacred in a Global City,” produced as part of his research. The documentary showcased the sights and sounds of various vernacular shrines across Singapore, accompanied by insightful commentary from Dr Lim and Dr Kuah Khun Eng, adjunct professor at the Department of Chinese Studies, National University of Singapore; who served as narrators. While the film primarily focused on grassroots Chinese religious practices, Dr Lim emphasised the openness of these spaces to syncretism, where diverse cultural and religious influences shape the micro-communities that form around the shrines.
During the Q&A session moderated by Dr Leong Chan-Hoong, Senior Fellow and Head of SCRP, the audience engaged in a lively discussion with Dr Lim. The session covered a variety of topics, including the conceptual framework of the ‘religious imaginary,’ the socio-economic dimensions influencing vernacular shrines, and the multicultural aspects of shrine practices. The seminar provided valuable insights into the layered cultural, religious, and social dimensions of vernacular shrines and their role in promoting social cohesion in Singapore.
