Identity and Gender in Southeast Asia

This research abroad program aims to give students first-hand experience doing field research on the subjects of ethnicity and gender in Malaysia. Students will be immersed in local culture as they visit historical and religious sites and carry out professional-level field research while interacting with local communities and governments. We will conduct original research that will build toward publishable research papers.

In addition to getting hands-on experience doing high-quality research, students will also be able to explore the region with visits to religious and cultural sites, including Hindu, Muslim, and Buddhist houses of worship and festivals. Travel will also include trips to Singapore and the island of Borneo (where we will see the only indigenous orangutans in the world).

Through coursework, students will learn practical research and data skills and discipline-standard methods of field experiments. Data will be collected during the trip and interested students will be able later to analyze the data and put together important research papers.

This program will be most appealing to students who are passionate about learning about difficult issues like gender, ethnicity, identity, and religion, and how different identities may interact to form communities. It will also appeal to students who enjoy an active lifestyle and exploring different cultures, as we will explore beaches, caves, historical and religious sites, as well as daily living in Malaysia. Note that you will be fine using English to get around—fluency in a foreign language is not required!

Click here to apply today!