Academic Year 2023 - 2024
Semester 1 -> Semester 2

NUSMods Description

Through the years, the nature of threats has evolved from traditional security, e.g. territorial threats and terrorism, towards hybrid threats, in which state or non-state actors conduct coordinated propaganda, sabotage, pressure, and other overt or covert non-military or military actions to subjugate the target. In this course, students will learn the key concepts of total defence to deal with such threats to a nation’s well-being; identify and articulate a potential hybrid threat to Singapore; and then design, and possibly execute, a community project that could deliver suitable counter-measures that integrate an effective multi-faceted response to the identified threat.

Review

This module was coordinated by Mr Kenneth Chong. This is a year-long class and it is 4MCs, (2 each semester). I took this module because I find it interesting since I used to work (intern) in defence organisations prior to this.

First semester was just lectures and tutorials + a mini midterm presentation on our proposed solution. Second semester, no lectures or tutorials, just 2 check-ins with Kenneth and our field work. I figured some groups do not really care that much and opted for a pure theoretical paper. My group is very onz (which sometimes tired me out). We interviewed with a NUS Psychology prof and also Dr Lee Cheng from IMH and came up with a solution targetting the mental health state of young Singaporeans which directly impacted the psychological resilience of the country (hence, the threat).

I don’t have much to say except that it drained alot of my energy unnecessarily.