Censored Kids and Piracy: An Examination of Film Censorship in Singapore

The island state of Singapore in Southeast Asia has a history of film censorship, one of several techniques in state repression it uses as a furtherance of state power. Yet, Singapore\u27s success also depends on being open to global information and cultural flows. Drawing from queer theory, this thesis examines a recent case study of film censorship in Singapore, the 2010 film, The Kids are All Right. The thesis examines laws and regulations in Singapore to understand how films are interpellated into objects of moral danger, and also the reaction of some progressive Singaporeans to the censorship. The thesis also discusses the contradictions between state censorship and the recognition of its circumvention through copyright infringement and piracy. Finally, the thesis makes some suggestions about steps that can be taken to resist against film censorship, as well as directions for future research