Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant: Identity Pluralism and Social Status in Thailand

Emory University, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Abstract

Emory University graduate student, Byungchu Dredge Kang, with the guidance of Dr. Peter J. Brown, will undertake research on the relationship between government policy, gender conformity, and stigma. The aims of this study include investigation into: 1) the relationship between childhood class background and gender conformity; and 2) the relationship between social stigma and the strategies used to minimize social stigma. Methods to be employed include participant observation of everyday life in work, domestic, and social environments, extended life history interviews, and analysis of public discourse (e.g. media, government documents). The research will be conducted in Bangkok, Thailand. Findings of this study will improve our understanding of social discrimination and the role of government policy in mitigating such discrimination. The research will contribute to social science theory by extending understanding of the cultural construction of social categories and by incorporating class analysis into arenas of identity construction where class is not routinely considered. Finally, the investigation of relationship patterns and stigma is expected to provide critical information about the social contexts of disease risks, including HIV. The research also will contribute to the education of a social scientist.