Dear int-bounders,
as we haven't posted a contribution to the list before, we start this by
introducing ourselves to you: we are Maren Schoenfelder and Steffen Ruholl,
both Ph.D.-students at the Institut fur Ethnologie at the University of
Hamburg. Since last year we've been engaged in a research project on
physical and social spaces in Mainland-Southeast-Asia, which is supervised
by Prof. Dr. Roland Mischung. Presently we are preparing for a one-year
field study in the Thai-Malaysian border region. The aimed at date for
departure is March / April 2002.
The basic assumption, we are drawing on in our work is, that borders as
concrete dividing lines between different political, legal and economic
systems as well as between different social and symbolic communities
constitute particular resources and offer the local residents specific
perspectives, that can not be found anywhere else. Therefore our study will
focus on the everyday social, political and economic practises as well as
the underlying spatial perceptions and concepts, by which the residents of
the Thai-Malaysian border region give structure and meaning to their
habitat. We think, that this focus will help us gain an insight in the
actual impact, that the border has on the construction, organization and
reproduction of social life, identities, territoriality and power-relations
in this particular area, i.e. on either side of the border as well as
across the border.
The reason for posting this mail is, that we would be very grateful, if
anybody on the list
could send us references of
1. empirical studies in any border-region in Mainland-Southeast-Asia.
2. empirical studies on any border-region focussing on spatial perceptions
and concepts of the borderlanders.
Maybe anybody could even enable us to get in touch with somebody engrossed
in a project similar to ours, so we could discuss our work in detail.
We would be very pleased to hear from you - any support will be highly
appreciated.
With best wishes from Hamburg
Maren Schoenfelder
Arnoldstra?e 13
22765 Hamburg
++49 (0)40 39903173
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Steffen Ruholl
Hartwig-Hesse-Str. 43
20257 Hamburg
++49 (0)40 493514
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