Biography

My name is Baey Shi Chen (韦诗倩) and I am a Lecturer at the Department of Communications and New Media at the National University of Singapore. I specialise in Cultural Studies, Visual Culture, as well as Media and Communications.

I completed my PhD in Cultural Studies in Asia, a joint degree from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and King’s College London (KCL).

My research investigates how institutions, governance, and social values shape cultural practices, visual regimes, and creative industries. Drawing on fashion as a critical site of inquiry, I examine questions of sustainability, labour, identity, and urban futures in Singapore and Southeast Asia, while also engaging with cultural policy, creative economies, sustainable urban transformation, and literary studies and popular culture.

Trained in English Literature, I hold a Bachelor’s degree in English, a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the National Institute of Education, and a Master’s degree in Literary Studies from the National University of Singapore.

Before transitioning to academia, I taught at pre-tertiary and tertiary levels and worked in fashion journalism, contributing to Singaporean publications in both full-time and freelance capacities. These experiences continue to inform my research, teaching, and engagement with cultural and creative communities.

Read my Fashion & Market (F&M)The Dossier profile here.