Singapore’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Reflections on the Role of the Social Sciences

The role of social science in Singapore's "whole-of-government" management of COVID-19 was largely limited to evaluating public perceptions of government policy and understanding the socio-behavioural factors that could help better manage the pandemic. The problems faced by marginalized groups were largely overlooked, although NGOs using arguments based on social science and academics writing on public platforms sought to draw attention to some of those issues. This article identifies the barriers to a more robust application of social science in tackling systemic blind spots in Singapore and offers reflections from a "post-normal science" perspective for interdisciplinary collaborative efforts that may complement state capacity in post-COVID-19 transformation and future crises.