My project explores changing norms and practices of gender and sexuality among Muslim youth in Indonesia in the context of that country’s ongoing Islamic resurgence and sociopolitical transition. The study documents the impact of trends in popular culture and public life on masculinities, femininities, and the shaping of middle-class subjectivities. Developments of particular interest to me include the emergence of new forms of youth language, the increasing popularity of Muslim dress, and the various entailments of the trend towards later marriage for women. These entailments include a perceived rise in sexual promiscuity, Muslim marriage bureaus, and the wider public acceptance of polygyny.
 
Since 1998, I have compiled over three hundred extended narratives of young people’s everyday lives, in addition to collecting survey data and conducting in-depth interviews with parents, educators, and religious leaders on issues of education, religious practice, courtship, and marriages. The bulk of my research is now complete, but new developments in youth culture are constantly emerging. I would like to have a student research partner who regularly combs through English language news sources like the New York Times, the Jakarta Post, the Straits Times (Singapore), and the New Straits Times (Malaysia) for stories addressing topics relevant to my project. The junior partner would also help me track down some comparative materials on Islam, popular culture, and gender issues as they have emerged in other Muslim countries and in the US. Student involvement would mainly involve collecting Web and library materials and writing overview summaries.
 
The work would likely be of interest to students in anthropology, sociology, or women’s studies. Some knowledge of Islam or Southeast Asia would be useful but is not necessary.