Word play : a sociological study of Slam poetry in Singapore

This thesis is a sociological study of slam poetry in Singapore. Broadly, this thesis studies the relationship between slam poetry and the culture of pragmatism in which it is situated. More specifically, this thesis examines how slam poetry created a space for the pursuit of ‘unpragmatic’ creative activity in this pragmatic context by analyzing slam poetry’s positioning in an environment vis–à–vis the ensemble of actors, institutions, and organizations within which it is embedded. The thesis then discusses the question of why people participate in slam poetry in Singapore. In conclusion, the thesis places the emergence and development of slam poetry within the context of an emergent phenomenon and proposes a fresh field of focus for future sociological inquiry. Master of Arts