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About Us
Introducing the Centre for the Study of Social Inequality (CSSI)
Asst Prof Shannon Ang and Assoc Prof Teo You Yenn at their newly set up office at NTU
The Centre for the Study of Social Inequality (CSSI), led by sociologists Teo You Yenn and Shannon Ang, was established in October 2024 and is housed under the School of Social Sciences.
CSSI is the first research centre in Singapore devoted to the study of inequality. Its missions are to promote and enhance multidisciplinary understandings of inequality’s various forms and dynamics and nurture public social science—attentive to the concerns of ordinary members of society, deliberate in making links between theoretical knowledge and practical solutions, and committed to making academic knowledge accessible to broad publics.
The idea for the centre first came about a year earlier, in October 2023. Professor Hong Hai (Emeritus Professor, Nanyang Business School) emailed Associate Professor Teo You Yenn. He had read her book, the national bestseller, This Is What Inequality Looks Like (2018), and wondered if she would be interested in meeting his good friend, Professor Vincent Chong (Professor of Radiology, National University of Singapore; retired).
He wrote that Professor Chong has a passion for social issues, and the two of them share a concern for the destitute aged in Singapore. Professor Chong would like to explore the possibility of seed-funding a research centre devoted to studying inequality and poverty. "Would you like to meet over lunch to discuss this?" Professor Hong Hai asked.
Although initially sceptical about the feasibility of setting up a centre focused on studying inequality, Associate Professor Teo roped in her colleague from Sociology, Assistant Professor Shannon Ang.
They met with Professors Hong and Chong several times in the following months. The two experienced professors had been involved in building many new initiatives and leading teams in universities, and they shared numerous stories about their work. They encouraged A/P Teo and Asst Prof Ang to think big about the possibilities—a research centre could serve as a platform for exchange and consolidation, bring greater visibility to the issue, and be a space to nurture and mentor junior scholars.
The first meeting when the idea for the Centre for the Study of Social Inequality was hatched, November 2023
From left to right:
Professor Vincent Chong, Professor Hong Hai, Associate Professor Teo You Yenn, Assistant Professor Shannon Ang
A/P Teo and Asst Prof Ang eventually crafted a proposal for a centre that would pursue programmes in research, education, and public engagement. CSSI will develop a signature research project that addresses important gaps in current knowledge about inequality in Singapore. As one of the few centres in Asia focused on inequality research, CSSI will engage in intellectual exchange with other research centres on inequality around the world, to bring an Asian perspective to bear on global conversations about inequality. The centre also aims to nurture emerging scholars interested in understanding inequality and publicly engaged Singapore scholarship. To effect positive social change, academic knowledge must become accessible to non-specialists. CSSI will prioritise clear and impactful communication of research, and create space for sustained engagement between scholars and various stakeholders in society.
Professor Vincent Chong and his wife, Dr Fan Yoke Fun, have given S$1.6 million to fund the establishment of CSSI. Over the next few years, CSSI hopes to further build its endowment fund.