Scholarships & Fellowships
The API Fellowships aim to promote mutual learning among Asian public intellectuals and contribute to the growth of the wider public spaces in which effective responses to regional needs can be generated. To this end, 6 such people are chosen annually from each of the five nations of Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand. These fellows then conduct research projects in one of the other four nations, thus contributing both to the advancement of mutual understanding, and creating networks of the regions top thinkers--the kind of networks that are necessary to guide Asia into the future.
In order to facilitate contact and at the same time protect the privacy of the people on this list, we ask that those who wish to contact them use the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page to send us your name, email address and a brief message. We will make sure that the fellow receives your message. However, we leave any response up to the individual.
Finally, if you are a fellow and wish to request an update to your data, or if you no longer wish to have it published on our site, please do not hesitate to contact us through the program manager at the institution which runs your program.
Indonesia
 | Ekawati Sri Wahyuni |
| Project Title | Gender Issues in Elderly Care in Malaysia and Japan |
| Brief Project Outline | This research intends to study the role of community and family in the elderly support system in Malaysia and Japan, using the gender analysis approach. The main investigation is to focus on gender issues in the process of developing support systems for the elderly. Gender issues will be examined both from the caregivers' and the elderly point of view. |
| Position | Head |
| Current Affiliation | Center for Women's Studies-Bogor Agricultural University (PSW-LPPM-IPB) |
| Host Country | Malaysia Japan |
 | Nina Widyawati Purnomo |
| Project Title | Representation of Migrant Worker in Malaysia Dailies Newspaper |
| Brief Project Outline | The immigrant is a group of society which has many problems in Malaysia. Cultural differences between the immigrant and the inhabitant raise communication conflicts. The group that has more power tends to lead the discourse and denigrate others. The inhabitant usually has more power than the immigrant to produce the stereotypes. Stereotyping is a problem of communication. The media reproduces and disseminates the discourse, so, reporting on immigrants usually tends to be negative, such as the portrayal of immigrants as illegal, lazy or criminal. Media representation of immigrants has an influence on social practice. The study will examine how the media produces and reproduces the discourse about the immigrant, the portrait of the immigrant who has a similar culture (Indonesian) and a different culture (Malaysia), what the ideologies are behind the news production and how it works, and how the audience responds. |
| Position | Researcher |
| Current Affiliation | Research Center for Society and Culture, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (PMB-LIPI) |
| Host Country | Malaysia |
 | Nerfita Primadewi |
| Project Title | Short Message Service : Exploring Identity in Virtual World. A Case Study on the Usage of SMS in the Philippines |
| Brief Project Outline | This project will be exploring the usage of SMS, and how this technology effects on the identification, communication and cultural systems in the Philippines. |
| Position | Lecturer |
| Current Affiliation | Indonesian Art College Surakarta |
| Host Country | Philippines |
 | Yuli Nugroho |
| Project Title | Decentralization and Devolution of Forest Management : Fostering between State and Local to Improve Forest Management in the Philippines and Thailand |
| Brief Project Outline | The research tries to examine the experiences of decentralization and devolution in Philippine's forest management, particularly how the local government (barangay) and the communities manage the decentralized and devolved forest in a better and sustainable way. It also tries to look at the relationship between the central and local level in the decentralization and devolution processes. |
| Position | Executive Director |
| Current Affiliation | Yayasan Damar (NGO) |
| Host Country | Philippines Thailand |
 | Cahyo Pamungkas |
| Project Title | The Effectiveness of the Autonomous Region in Moslem Mindanao (ARMM) and the Administrative Center of Administration of Southern Border Provinces (ACASBP) in Coping with Separatism. |
| Brief Project Outline | This research will analyze the policies of GRP and the RTG concerning the ARMM and ACASBP, describe the roles of ARMM and ACASBP, shed light on the effectiveness of ARMM and ACASBP in coping with separatism, and propose the policy recommendations as the alternative conflict resolution. |
| Position | Researcher |
| Current Affiliation | Research Centre for Regional Resources-Indonesian Institute of Sciences (Pusat Penelitian Sumberdaya Regional - LIPI) |
| Host Country | Philippines Thailand |
 | Sri Wahyono |
| Project Title | The Protection of Migrant Workers' Rights in Malaysia and the Philippines : A Comparative Study of Issue and Solution |
| Brief Project Outline | The project will conduct a comparative study of the law and rights-protection programs provided by the Philippine government to its migrant workers in Malaysia, and analyze the various problems of law and rights-protection faced by those migrant workers in Malaysia. |
| Position | Functional First Planner at Bureau for Cooperation and Promotion of Science & Technology |
| Current Affiliation | Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) |
| Host Country | Malaysia Philippines |
Japan
 | Yasuhiro Shoguchi |
| Project Title | Getting Rid of Media Gap to Prevent the Spread of Infectious Diseases |
| Brief Project Outline | Viruses cross national boundaries. But as there is a media gap between Japan and other countries, we do not have a common understanding of the subject. This research will look for the way to get rid of this media gap so that the spread of infectious diseases could be prevented. |
| Position | Journalist |
| Current Affiliation | Sankei Shimbun |
| Host Country | Thailand Philippines |
 | Ritsuko Sato |
| Project Title | Building a Network of Contemporary Dance between Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Japan |
| Brief Project Outline | This project will research the current picture of the Indonesian, Malaysia and Thai contemporary dance scenes, while investigating what should be done to establish a network between Japan and these countries. It will also investigate dance's potential to enrich human lives through the eyes of tradition and the present, and to introduce the voices from Asia worldwide. |
| Position | Chief Artistic Administrator |
| Current Affiliation | JCDN |
| Host Country | Indonesia Malaysia Thailand |
 | Itsue Ito |
| Project Title | Where the East Meets the East : Integration of Ceramic and Ceramic Design in Thailand |
| Brief Project Outline | This research will investigate, in Thailand, ceramic history, its impact on Thai culture, and the direction it is moving. It will not only help with the implementation of a network of professionals in ceramics, but also designs for tableware, wall tiles, and ceramic design concepts for industry. |
| Position | President |
| Current Affiliation | Claywork Atelier |
| Host Country | Thailand |
 | Toshiya Takahama |
| Project Title | The Development of Thai Contemporary Art and Its Social Contexts : Analyzing the Source of Artistic Images Seen from the Thai Social Structure and Principles |
| Brief Project Outline | The history of Thai contemporary art began with the foundation of Silpakorn University. The project will systemize the unique passage taken in this field by studying the interaction between social changes and Thai contemporary artworks, as seen from the viewpoint of Thai social structure and principles. |
| Position | Part-time Lecturer |
| Current Affiliation | Musashino Art University |
| Host Country | Thailand |
 | Yuki Nakata |
| Project Title | Comparative Study on the Development of the Basic Islamic Education and Changing Muslim Identity in Indonesia and Malaysia |
| Brief Project Outline | This comparative study examines the development process of Islamic basic education, with a focus on impacts and interactions of the various factors, such as political and socio-cultural context in Indonesia and Malaysia. |
| Position | Doctoral Student |
| Current Affiliation | Graduate School of Education and Human Development, Nagoya University |
| Host Country | Indonesia Malaysia |
 | Junko Sato |
| Project Title | Workers' Conceptions of Decent Work : A Case of Female Workers' Identities and Better Conditions of Work |
| Brief Project Outline | This research explores the relationship between workers' identities and their own conceptions of 'decent work.' By expressing the realities of female workers in the batik industry as an example, it will become a foundation to support workers' vision of a better quality of life. |
| Position | Doctrate Student |
| Current Affiliation | Department of Cultural Anthropology, Interdisciplinary Cultural Studies, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo |
| Host Country | Indonesia |
Malaysia
 | Nadarajah Manickam |
| Project Title | Culturally Embedded Notions of Sustainable Development (or Sustainability) in Asia |
| Brief Project Outline | It is assumed that environmental degradation and resources depletion in the latter half of the last century inspired the notion/practice of sustainable development. However, this notion was already embedded in local cultures. A recovery of these embedded practices offer a richer understanding of sustainability and locally available alternatives to a sustainable future. |
| Position | Deputy Coordinator |
| Current Affiliation | Asian Communication Network (ACN) |
| Host Country | Philippines Indonesia Thailand Japan |
 | Said Halim Bin Said Nong |
| Project Title | National Policy, Strategic Plans and Actions in Promoting, Managing and Sustaining Traditional Theatres in Indonesia and Thailand |
| Brief Project Outline | This project will study the overall policy, strategic plans and actions taken by various authorities and sectors in the continuous efforts of promoting, managing and sustaining traditional theatre and performing arts in Indonesia and Thailand. The study will focus on only a few forms of traditional theatre that are prominent and representative of the country's culture. |
| Position | Associate Professor & Director |
| Current Affiliation | The Cultural Centre, University of Malaya |
| Host Country | Indonesia Thailand |
 | Yeoh Seng Guan |
| Project Title | Being a Street Vendor: A Critical Ethnographic Study of Sidewalk Capitalism in Baguio City, the Philippines |
| Brief Project Outline | This project aims to write a critical ethnography of everyday capitalism from the perspective of sidewalk vendors, and of the organizing efforts of NGOs in defending human dignity and empowering the urban poor. It also hopes to theorize about the nature of suburban cosmopolitanism in Southeast Asia. |
| Position | Lecturer |
| Current Affiliation | Monash University Malaysia, Sunway Campus |
| Host Country | Philippines |
 | Lim How Ngean |
| Project Title | The Bridging of Cultural Divides in Contemporary and Traditional Theatre in Japan |
| Brief Project Outline | This project will study and observe Mansai Nomura and Setagaya public theatre in merging traditional art forms with contemporary theatre. |
| Position | Independent Theatre Practitioner |
| Current Affiliation | None |
| Host Country | Japan |
 | Noramalina Binti Mustaffa |
| Project Title | Punishing Delinquents : Incarceration vs. Community Works - A Comparison on Study of the Juvenile Justice System in Malaysia, Thailand and Japan |
| Brief Project Outline | This project will study the juvenile justice system applied in Japan and Thailand and to our current juvenile justice system. |
| Position | Research Assistant & Part Time Lecturer |
| Current Affiliation | University Malaya |
| Host Country | Thailand Japan |
 | Siti Khadijah Binti Abd Gani |
| Project Title | Management, Behavior and Public Perception of Tapirs (Tapirus SP.) |
| Brief Project Outline | This project will study the formal and informal discussion between applicant and Tapir keepers, behavioral study in captivity and survey among the visitors at selected zoos in Indonesia and Japan. |
| Position | Local Project Coordinator |
| Current Affiliation | Malayan Tapir Project |
| Host Country | Indonesia |
Philippines
 | Michael Caballero Morales |
| Project Title | Building Asian Leaders : A Comparative Study of Training in the Military Academies of Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand |
| Brief Project Outline | This study aims to compare the training of future military officers in the military academies of Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand, which could help establish a contemporary perspective of how military leaders are prepared in the region. |
| Position | Director, Center for Academic Excellence |
| Current Affiliation | Philippine Military Academy |
| Host Country | Japan Thailand Malaysia Indonesia |
 | Jesus M. Santiago |
| Project Title | The Song as Venue for Development Education and People's Advocacy in Okinawa, Chiangmai, and Yogyakarta |
| Brief Project Outline | The project will study songwriters' responses to issues of the day and how they contribute to the people's awareness and understanding of the culture to which they belong. It will explore the dynamic between the songwriters and the target sectors, the songwriters and their audience, fellow artists, and other actors for social change. |
| Position | Freelance Writer, Editor, Translator |
| Current Affiliation | None |
| Host Country | Japan Thailand Indonesia |
 | Fe Sumilang Abarcar De los Reyes |
| Project Title | Looking at Programs and Services for Children and Adolescents with Disabilities Across Cultural Differences and Economic Conditions : A Comparison between Chiba City of Japan and Naga City, Philippines |
| Brief Project Outline | The purpose of this project is to make a comparative study of WHO - mandated programs and services for children / adolescents with disabilities in Chiba City and Naga City. Chiba was chosen because, with JICA and UP CHILD Foundation it co-sponsored research in 1994 on "Early Screening / Early Detection of Disabilities and Congenital Anomalies in Naga City." |
| Position | Executive Director, Part Time Instructor |
| Current Affiliation | HELP Learning Center Foundation, Ateneo de Naga University |
| Host Country | Japan |
 | Arturo Aristotle C. Solito Jr. |
| Project Title | Island Rituals of Borneo, Okinawa and Palawan : A Comparative Video Documentary-Research |
| Brief Project Outline | This documentary aims to rediscover the similarities & diversities of customary island rituals in Borneo, Okinawa & the filmmaker's native land Palawan, through existing footages by filmmakers of the region & new footage shot by the filmmaker himself. |
| Position | Indipendent Filmmaker |
| Current Affiliation | None |
| Host Country | Japan Malaysia |
 | Joseph Tanquintic Salazar |
| Project Title | Projections of An/Other Space : The Cities of Contemporary Southeast Asian Cinema |
| Brief Project Outline | In this project, the different urban centers of Southeast Asia will be examined in light of the functions and aspirations assigned to them by different films produced in the region. It will focus on cinema's role in articulating the different ways the region uses the metropolis to define identities, cultures and nations. Working on the premise that Southeast Asian cities are the sites most affected by globalization, the project aims to discuss the social relations expressed by film as it negotiates between Southeast Asia's experience of colonization and modernity's totalizing systems. |
| Position | Instructor |
| Current Affiliation | Ateneo de Manila University |
| Host Country | Indonesia Thailand |
 | Theresita Atienza |
| Project Title | A Research on Open and Distance Learning Institutions in Thailand : Lessons for the Philippines |
| Brief Project Outline | The project shall study the open universities of Thailand in terms of mechanisms, policies and strategies, with the objective of identifying best practices and formulating a plan to strengthen the educational delivery system as a way to enhance productivity and employability in the Philippines and Southeast Asia in the era of globalization. |
| Position | Dean, College of Science |
| Current Affiliation | Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) |
| Host Country | Thailand |
Thailand
 | Sarawut Pratoomraj |
| Project Title | The Effective Role of The National Human Rights Institution In Human Rights Education : The experience of Thailand and Indonesia |
| Brief Project Outline | The National Human Rights Institution is the new mechanism for the protection and promotion of human rights violation in the country. In Thailand, The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) was established in 1999 according to The National Human Rights Commission Act B.E. 2542 (1999) and the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand. One important role, and of the NHRC is to promote education, research and the dissemination of knowledge on human rights of Section 15 NHRC Act. In Japan there is no NHRC but there is Rights and Liberty Bureau under which the Attorney General's Office promotes and protects human rights. The two organization in two countries play the same role. The proposed project is to study the role of these two organizations and focus on Human Rights Education. |
| Position | Project Manager |
| Current Affiliation | The Coordinating Committee of Human Rights Organization of Thailand |
| Host Country | Indonesia |
 | Oranuch Lerdkulladilok |
| Project Title | The Study of Japanese Development and Operation System of the Public Social Services to the Senior Citizens Project |
| Brief Project Outline | A study of Japan's good practices in the establishment and operation of facilities for the elderly, as for a future replication in Thailand. |
| Position | Project Manager |
| Current Affiliation | The Bangkok YMCA Foundation |
| Host Country | Philippines Malaysia |
 | Narumol Aphinives |
| Project Title | Research on the Integration of Environmental Education into the School Curriculum in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia |
| Brief Project Outline | This project will explore environmental education integration experiences of two Asian countries, specifically, Japan and the Philippines, with specific regard to processes, challenges and achievements. |
| Position | General Manager |
| Current Affiliation | Green World Foundation |
| Host Country | Philippines Japan Indonesia |
 | Penchom Saetang |
| Project Title | Learning Pollution Campaign Experience From Japan |
| Brief Project Outline | This project will study Japanese environmental and industrial pollution problems, carrying out a case study on Minamata disease and Kita Kyushyu's pollution recovery program, exploring and studying the situation in-depth, and focussing on local community protest movements that have served to change the government's policy and environmental regulations, learning from the people's network and solidarity. |
| Position | Coordinator |
| Current Affiliation | Campaign for Alternative Industry Network (CAIN) |
| Host Country | Japan |
 | Darunee Paisanpanichkul |
| Project Title | Research on Environmental Litigation and Rehabilitation Process in Pollution Water Case in Japan and the Philippines |
| Brief Project Outline | This project will survey, study and compare environmental litigation in 2 neighboring states' law systems (Japan and Philippines) via pollution in public waterway cases, and its non-litigation movement, including guidelines on rehabilitation for polluted public waterway. |
| Position | Lawyer & Assistant Coordinator |
| Current Affiliation | Environmental Litigation and Advocacy for the Wants (EnLAW) |
| Host Country | Philippines Japan |
 | Alisa Hasamoh |
| Project Title | Regionalism and Interethnic Relations : A Case of Acehnese in Indonesia |
| Brief Project Outline | According to the situation of conflict and violence in southern Thailand, this project plans to develop research which would lead to better understanding and more cooperative living conditions among different groups of people. The project will link the lesson from the ethnic conflict in Ache, Indonesia between Ache people-state and Ache and other ethnic groups. This lesson will help to link the local and regional (southern Thailand and Indonesia) with the global experience (Islamphobia). Thus, this project will develop a framework to help people to understand the world beyond their own context. |
| Position | Researcher |
| Current Affiliation | Center of Social Development Studies |
| Host Country | Indonesia |