PUBLIC SPACES IN SINGAPORE: THE PLAUSIBILITY FOR SELF-ORGANIZATION IN A STATE-DOMINATED CONTEXT Part 2 Dissertation 2004 Christopher Chow National University of Singapore | Singapore This dissertation examines the plausibility of an alternate perspective on the urbanization process in modern Singapore against the critiques put forth by some urban planners and political writers. Further, it aims to develop a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics that operates within the relationships between the state, the economy and the people in the local context of public spaces. The analysis will focus on both physical and virtual public spaces: Their developmental process, nature of utilization and the parallelisms between different domains. The working method established Christopher Chow's dissertation is in my view exceptional. His is a thorough reading of Manual de landa's thesis on the autocatalytic process that underscores natural formations and infuses human intentionality. It attempts to show how the process resists or actually escapes official planning ideology in so much of modern governance especially in new states. The skeptical attitude Chris adopted is to be applauded. Many a student would have been bowled over by de landa's argumentation but not him. The strength of Christopher’s approach in his juxtaposition of de landas ideas in the specific c