We are proud to announce that our Circle Initiator, Dr. Anna Christi Suwardi, was awarded a 2023 research fellowship under the Cultivating Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) initiative, a program of the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) funded by the Government of Sweden. This prestigious fellowship supports scholars across Asia whose research engages with inclusive, interdisciplinary approaches in the humanities and social sciences.
As part of her fellowship activities, Dr. Suwardi presented her research titled “Empowering Malay-Muslim Women in Thailand’s Deep South During Conflict: A Look at Individual and Relational Level” at the AAS Symposium held at Ewha Womans University, Seoul, from June 21–22, 2023. The symposium, under the theme “Mainstreaming the Margins,” brought together international scholars whose work critically engages with underrepresented voices in the field of Asian studies.
Dr. Suwardi participated in the panel on Critical Perspectives on Conflict, Inclusion, and (In)security, where she joined fellow researchers in unpacking the intersections of identity, peacebuilding, and lived experience within conflict-affected societies. Her presentation offered valuable insight into the agency of women navigating violence in Southern Thailand, and underscored the importance of examining empowerment at both individual and relational levels.
Her participation in the symposium marks an important step in the dissemination of her research on gender, conflict, and peacebuilding, and aligns with DEEP En-Gender’s mission to elevate feminist and inclusive scholarship in Southeast Asia.
We extend our warm congratulations to Dr. Suwardi and express our gratitude to the Association for Asian Studies and the CHSS initiative for recognizing her work.