ABSTRACT Singapore is described as a hybrid neoliberal-developmental state. While politicians have, since the city-state’s independence, exercised ‘strong’ ideological leadership over Singapore’s economy and society, including education – there are simultaneously aspects of ‘neoliberal’ logics in Singapore’s education system: extensive school choice and streaming, academic competition and the self-responsibilising meritocratic ethos. Literature on the nature and effects of neoliberalism typically depicts rising inequalities and families’ growing anxieties, due to competition and self-responsibilisation. Drawing on in-depth interviews, this article explores how a group of low-income Malay parents navigate two aspects of institutionalised neoliberalism: (1) responsibilisation of young people within a meritocratic regime, (2) responsibilisation of parents as stakeholders in an increasingly complex education landscape. We find that while families internalise responsibilisation – profound trust in the state remains. Empirical particularities are drawn upon to understand how a socio-politically-constituted ‘architecture of trust’ between state and low-income parents is built, and its implications on families’ lives.

中文翻译：

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建立信任：低收入父母如何驾驭新加坡教育系统中的新自由主义

摘要新加坡被描述为一个混合的新自由主义发展国家。虽然自新加坡独立以来，政客们对新加坡的经济和社会（包括教育）行使了“强有力”的意识形态领导，但新加坡教育体系中同时存在“新自由主义”逻辑的各个方面：广泛的学校选择和流媒体、学术竞争和自我负责的精英精神。关于新自由主义性质和影响的文献通常描绘了由于竞争和自我责任而导致的不平等加剧和家庭日益增长的焦虑。本文通过深入访谈，探讨了一群低收入马来父母如何驾驭制度化新自由主义的两个方面：(1) 在精英制度下对年轻人的责任，(2) 在日益复杂的教育环境中，家长作为利益相关者的责任。我们发现，虽然家庭将责任内在化，但对国家的深刻信任仍然存在。经验的特殊性被用来理解国家和低收入父母之间的社会政治构成的“信任架构”是如何建立的，以及它对家庭生活的影响。