FB08: Participation in the Inter-Asia Cultural Studies Conference, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand

Applicant: Yura Hyeon
Faculty, specialisation: FB08, PhD Social and Cutural Anthropology

I attended the IACS Conference 2025 to present a chapter of my PhD dissertation on Yemeni refugees’ masculinized dreams and aspirations shape and transform their migration, while simultaneously reinforcing the refugee regime, continuing to exploit their labor. My presentation was part of the “Cross-Border Resistance: Media, Methodology, and Migration” session, where I shared findings from ethnographic fieldwork conducted over the past three years.
The session attracted an international audience of researchers and activists, especially Hong Kong-based scholars whose research interest intersects with my topic on refugee, labor, gender and sexuality. Following the presentation, I engaged in a productive Q&A session and received valuable feedback, which I plan to incorporate into my dissertation.
Attendance significantly advanced my knowledge about the concept of inter-Asia and allowed me an invaluable opportunity to get connected with scholars who have been working on inter-regional connections and fostering critical scholarship. In particular, I was also invited to visit their institutions in the future to present my work and to stay in contact for potential future collaborations.
Overall, the conference was a highly enriching experience, and it has further strengthened my motivation to participate in future scientific events. I was particularly inspired by the vibrant atmosphere of shared passion for the field, the deep respect shown for groundbreaking research, and the openness of participants to exchange ideas and build new connections. I plan to share the key insights and takeaways with fellow doctoral candidates, researchers, and my supervisor during our upcoming colloquium discussions.
This participation was supported by the Santander Mobility Fund. I would especially like to express my sincere thanks to the Office of Student Research Projects (Ms. Linda Dieks), and my supervisor, Prof. Dr. Thomas Stodulka for making my participation possible.