Din ve Etnik Kimlik Bağlamında Singapur’da Çok Kültürlü Bir Toplumun İnşası

Year 2025, Volume: 2 Issue: 2, 105 - 129, 31.10.2025

Sümeyye Murutoğlu Özen

Abstract

Malayca “aslanlar şehri” anlamına gelen Singapur, Malay Yarımadası’nın güney ucunda bulunan altmış dört ıssız adacıktan oluşan oldukça küçük bir şehir devletidir. Singapur, bağımsızlığını 1965 yılında kazanmasına rağmen eğitim, sosyal devlet ve ekonomik güç bakımından dünyanın en müreffeh ülkelerinden biri olarak öne çıkmaktadır. Singapur farklı etnik kimlik ve dinî inançlara sahip topluluklara ev sahipliği yapmaktadır ve bu topluluklar arasında devlet kontrolünde bir uyum sağlamayı başarmıştır. 2020 verilerine göre Singapur nüfusunun %20'sini herhangi bir dine inanmayanlar oluştururken, %31’ini Budistler, %19’unu Hıristiyanlar, %16’sını Müslümanlar, %8’ini Taoistler, %5’ini Hindular ve yaklaşık %1’ini de diğer dinlere mensup kişiler oluşturmaktadır. Bu çalışmada etnik kimlik ve dinî inançlar coğrafyası olan Singapur’da dinsel harmoninin nasıl sağlandığı, dinî inançların toplumda nasıl temsil edildiği ve Müslümanların mevcut durumu gibi hususlar ele alınmaktadır. Bu doğrultuda çalışmanın hem dindarlar arası ilişkilere hem dinler tarihi ve sosyoloji gibi alanlara katkı sağlaması amaçlanmaktadır. Ülkemizde Singapur özelinde bazı çalışmalar bulunsa da bu araştırmalar genellikle Singapur’un tarihsel süreçteki devlet ilişkileri, ekonomi ve eğitim alanındaki başarıları veya ülkedeki Müslümanların durumu gibi hususlara yoğunlaşmaktadır. Elinizdeki çalışmada tarihsel ve sosyolojik yaklaşımlar ile nitel araştırma yöntemleri kullanılmaktadır. Singapur’daki dinî çeşitliliğin tarihsel gelişimi, dinî inançların toplumdaki etkisi ve farklı inançların Singapur özelindeki sosyal ve kültürel boyutları betimleyici bir analizle incelenmektedir.

Keywords

Dinler Tarihi , Etnik Kimlik , Çok kültürlülük , Dinî Uyum , Singapur

Designing a Multicultural Society in Singapore in the Context of Religion and Ethnicity

Abstract

Singapore, whose name means “Lion City” in Malay, is a diminutive city-state situated at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, comprising sixty-four uninhabited islands. Despite attaining independence only in 1965, Singapore has rapidly emerged as one of the most prosperous nations globally in terms of education, welfare policies, and economic development. The country is home to a multi-ethnic and multi-religious population and has successfully maintained a state-regulated harmony among its diverse communities. According to data from 2020, approximately 20% of Singapore’s population identify as non-religious, while 31% are Buddhists, 19% Christians, 16% Muslims, 8% Taoists, 5% Hindus, and around 1% adhere to other religious traditions. This study examines how religious harmony is achieved within Singapore’s pluralistic society, how religious beliefs are represented in the public sphere, and the current status of the Muslim community. In doing so, it seeks to contribute to scholarly discussions in fields such as interfaith relations, the history of religions, and sociology of religion. Although a number of studies on Singapore exist in Turkish scholarship, these tend to focus primarily on the country’s historical state relations, economic and educational achievements, or the socio-political status of its Muslim population. The present research adopts both historical and sociological perspectives and employs qualitative research methods to provide a descriptive analysis of the historical evolution of religious diversity in Singapore, the societal role of religious beliefs, and the social and cultural dimensions of various faiths within the unique context of the city-state.

Keywords

History of Religions , Ethnic Identity , Multiculturalism , Religious Harmony , Singapore

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