Curriculum Vitae

DR. RUSASLINA BINTI IDRUS

Senior Lecturer
  • Gender Studies
    Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

  • SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY
    Gender, Political Ecology, Legal Anthropology, Indigenous peoples, Orang Asli, Women in history, Subaltern studies

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION

  • PhD (Social Anthropology), (Social Anthropology)
    Harvard University, Cambridge
  • MA (Anthropology), (Antropologi)
    Harvard University, Cambridge
  • MEnvSc (Ecology & Development), (Social Ecology and Community Development)
    University of Yale, New Haven
  • BSc (Natural Resource Management), (Natural Resource Management)
    Cornell University, Ithaca

ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES

  • Ahli Jawatankuasa Semakan Kurikulum Rancangan Pengajian Gender
    04 Dec 2013 - present (Faculty)
  • Ahli Jawatankuasa, Jawatankuasa Ijazah Dasar
    15 Jan 2013 - present (Faculty)
  • Panel Penilai dan Penasihat, UMCARES
    01 Aug 2015 - 31 Jul 2017 (University Malaya)
  • Programme Coordinator
    07 Jul 2014 - 31 Aug 2016 (Faculty)
  • Ahli Jawatankuasa, Jawatankuasa Penyelidikan, Penerbitan, Persidangan dan Perundingan
    01 Feb 2013 - 31 Jan 2014 (Faculty)
  • Auditor, Audit Dalaman Universiti
    06 May 2013 - 23 Sep 2013 (University Malaya)

MEMBERSHIPS

  • NATIONAL CHIAO TUNG UNIVERSITY, CONSULTANT
    2018 to 2019 (International)
  • INDONESIA AND THE MALAY WORLD, ARTICLE REVIEWER
    2018 to 2019 (International)
  • INSTITUT WANITA BERDAYA, CONSULTANT
    2018 to 2018 (University)
  • UMCARES, FELLOW
    2018 to 2018 (University)

AWARD AND STEWARDSHIP

  • Sijil perkhidmatan cemerlang
    UM, 2019 (Ptj)
  • Anugerah Cemerlang UM 2019-Hadiah Khas
    Universiity Malaya, 2019 (University)
  • Certificate of Excellent Service
    University Malaya, 2017 (University)
  • Anugerah Cemerlang Universiti Malaya- Ketegori Jalinan Masyarakat
    University Malaya, 2017 (University)
  • CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENT SERVICE
    University of Malaya, 2017 (University)
  • The Star Golden Heart Award
    The Star Foundation, 2016 (National)
  • CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENT SERVICE
    University of Malaya, 2016 (University)

PUBLICATIONS

Article in Journal
WoS
  1. Idrus, Rusaslina (2021). The Refugee Festival: Power and Hope in the Face of Precarity, SOUTH ATLANTIC QUARTERLY. 120(3), 677-683. doi:10.1215/00382876-9155395
  2. Idrus, Rusaslina (2016). Humanizing the Sacred: Sisters in Islam and the Struggle for Gender Justice in Malaysia, CONTEMPORARY SOUTHEAST ASIA. 38(3), 546-548. doi:10.1355/cs38-3n
  3. Idrus, Rusaslina (2016). Multicultural Hang Tuah: Cybermyth and popular history making in Malaysia, INDONESIA AND THE MALAY WORLD. 44(129), 229-248. doi:10.1080/13639811.2015.1133135
  4. Idrus, Rusaslina (2016). Temiar Religion, 1964-2012: Enchantment, Disenchantment and Re enchantment in Malaysia's Uplands, ASIAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE. 44(4-5), 633-635. doi:10.1163/15685314-04404010
  5. Thambiah, Shanthi; Man, Zanisah; Idrus, Rusaslina (2016). Orang Asli Women Negotiating Education and Identity: Creating a Vision of the Self with Socially Available Possibilities, MALAYSIA'S ORIGINAL PEOPLE: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF THE ORANG ASLI. (), 449-468
  6. Idrus, Rusaslina (2011). Submitting to God: Women and Islam in Urban Malaysia, AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST. 113(4), 672-673. doi:10.1111/j.1548-1433.2011.01387_10.x
  7. Idrus, Rusaslina (2010). From Wards to Citizens: Indigenous Rights and Citizenship in Malaysia, POLAR-POLITICAL AND LEGAL ANTHROPOLOGY REVIEW. 33(1), 89-108. doi:10.1111/j.1555-2934.2010.01094.x
ESCI
  1. Douangphachanh, M., Idrus, R., Phommavong, S., & Jaquet, S. (2021). AGRICULTURE TRANSITION AND WOMEN'S DECISION-MAKING POWER IN COFFEE-FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN LAO PDR. Jati-Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, 26(1), 49-71. doi: 10.22452/jati.vol26no1.3
  2. Idrus, R., Man, Z., Williams-Hunt, A., & Chopil, T. Y. (2021). Indigenous resilience and the COVID-19 response: a situation report on the Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia. Alternative-an International Journal of Indigenous Peoples, 17(3), 439-443. doi: 10.1177/11771801211038723
  3. Idrus, Rusaslina (2018). Becoming Arab: Creole Histories and Modern Identity in the Malay World, KAJIAN MALAYSIA. 36(2), 165-167. doi:10.21315/km2018.36.2.8
Scopus
  1. Chua L., Idrus R. (2022). Introduction: Unpacking Indigeneity in Southeast Asia, Sojourn. 37(1), 1-26. doi:10.1355/sj37-1a
  2. Idrus R. (2022). Competing for the 'Indigenous' Slot: Layered Histories and Positionings in Peninsular Malaysia, Sojourn. 37(1), 58-84. doi:10.1355/sj37-1c
  3. Idrus, R., Man, Z., Williams-Hunt, A., & Chopil, T. Y. (2021). Indigenous resilience and the COVID-19 response: a situation report on the Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia. AlterNative, 17(3), 439-443. doi: 10.1177/11771801211038723
  4. Idrus R. (2016). Multicultural Hang Tuah: Cybermyth and popular history making in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Malay World. 44(129), 229-248. doi:10.1080/13639811.2015.1133135
Others
  1. Idrus, R. 2019. The Forgotten Voters: the Orang Asli in the Malaysia Baru. New Mandala: ANU. 29 May 2019.
  2. Rusaslina Idrus. 2018. Becoming Arab: Creole histories and modern identity in the Malay world (Book review). Kajian Malaysia 36(2): 165 167. https://doi.org/10.21315/ km2018.36.2.8
  3. Idrus, R. Book review: Temiar Religion, 1964-2012: Enchantment, Disenchantment and Re-enchantment in Malaysia's Uplands, Singapore: NUS Press by Geoffrey Benjamin. Asian Journal of Social Science.
  4. Idrus, Rusaslina, 2016. Book review: Humanizing the Sacred: Sisters in Islam and the Struggle for Gender Justice in Malaysia by Azza Basaruddin. Contemporary Southeast Asia. Vol 38 (3):546-48
  5. Idrus, Rusaslina. The Multicultural Hang Tuah: Cybermyth and Popular History Making in Malaysia. Indonesia and The Malay World. (17 February 2016)
  6. Idrus, R, 2011, The Discourse of Protection and the Orang Asli in Malaysia, in Kajian Malaysia, Vol. 29, No.1, Special Issue, Abdul Rahman Embong and Chin Yee Whah, Eds. Pp. 53-74
  7. Idrus, R, 2011, Review of Leaves of the Same Tree by Leonard Andaya, Sojourn. October 2011. Pp 345-348.
  8. Idrus, R, 2011, Review of Submitting to God: Women and Islam in Urban Malaysia by Slyva Frisk, American Anthropologist, Pp 672-673
  9. Idrus, R, 2010, Invited commentary to "Indigeneity, Capitalism, and Countermovements" by Tania Li, Current Anthropology, Vol.51, No.3, June 2010, Pp.403-404
  10. Idrus, R. 2010, Indigenous Rights and Citizenship in Malaysia, Political and Legal Anthropology Review, Vol.33, No.1, May 2010, pp. 89-108
Books
  1. Brenda Danker and Rusaslina Idrus, Editors
  2. Overview of Women s and Gender Studies in Malaysia / Editors: Cecilia Ng, Rusaslina Idrus, and Lai Wan Teng
Chapter in Books
  1. Thambiah, Shanthi; Zanisah Man; Rusaslina Idrus. 2015. Orang Asli Women Negotiating Education and Identity: Creating a Vision of the Self with Socially Available Possibilities. Edited by Kirk Endicott, NUS Press
  2. Idrus, Rusaslina (2014), "Transforming the Orang Asli Development Policy" in Transforming Malaysia: Ideas for the Next Decade, Sanchita Basu and Lee Poh Onn, Eds. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.
  3. Idrus, R. 2013. Hang Tuah Revisited, in Figures of Southeast Asian Modernity, Barker et al. Eds. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.
  4. Idrus, R. 2013. Left Behind: Orang Asli under the New Economic Policy in The New Economic Policy in Malaysia: Affirmative Action, Ethnic Inequality and Social Justice. Eds.Terence Gomez and Johan Saravanamuttu, SIRD, NUS Press and ISEAS Publication.
  5. Idrus, R., 2011, Malays and Orang Asli: Contesting Indigeneity in Melayu: Politics, Poetics and Paradoxes of Race, Maznah Mohamad and Syed Muhd Khairudin Aljunied, Eds. Singapore: NUS Press
  6. Idrus, R. and J. Nais. 1999, Country paper-Malaysia in Collaborative Management of Protected Areas in the Asian Region Oli, Krishna Prasad, Ed. Kathmandu: IUCN Nepal.
Other Publications
  1. Wan Ya Shin and Rusaslina Idrus 2020 Contextualising Education Policy to Empower Orang Asli Children, IDEAS: Kuala Lumpur. - Policy Paper
  2. Keep calm and vote, 4 May 2013. Elections roundtable, Info Pilihanraya Malaysia. - Mass Media(Newspaper,Radio,Tv,Popular Magazine)
  3. The great dog debate revisited, 4 August 2013. The Malaysian Insider. - Mass Media(Newspaper,Radio,Tv,Popular Magazine)
  4. Time to listen to the people, 15 April 2013, Elections roundtable, Info Pilihanraya Malaysia. - Mass Media(Newspaper,Radio,Tv,Popular Magazine)
  5. Interview on Indigenous land rights court case in Sarawak. Channel News Asia. 28 April 2011. - Mass Media(Newspaper,Radio,Tv,Popular Magazine)
  6. A village's fight against 'drowning' by development, 14 August 2010, Straits Times (Singapore) - Mass Media(Newspaper,Radio,Tv,Popular Magazine)
  7. Basic human rights for the Orang Asli, 10 March 2010, Malaysian Insider - Mass Media(Newspaper,Radio,Tv,Popular Magazine)
  8. Malaysia as a role model: what not to do, 15 Jan 2010, Malaysian Insider - Mass Media(Newspaper,Radio,Tv,Popular Magazine)
  9. This land is our land (Orang Asli land crisis), 6 May 2010, Malaysian Insider - Mass Media(Newspaper,Radio,Tv,Popular Magazine)

RESEARCH PROJECT

National
  1. 2020 - 2023, RU Geran - Fakulti Program
    Investigating Indigenous Foodways And Traditional Ecological Knowledge Towards Understanding Food Security And Ecological Changes In The Coastal Sites Of Pulau Carey ( Principal Investigator(PI))
  2. 2018 - 2020, RU Geran - UMCares
    Digital Stories To Advocate For And To Improve Orang Asli Education Experience ( Principal Investigator(PI))
  3. 2013 - 2015, High Impact Research (HIR)
    Traditional Knowledge: Nurturing Indigenous Niches, R&D and Domestic Industries (henceforth " Traditional Knowledge Project") ( Consultant)
Private
  1. 2020 - 2023, Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS)
    FRGS: Developing a sustainable and ecological model for durian as a commercial crop in Malaysia with a focus on producers (FRGS/1/2020/SS03/UNIM/02/1)., University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus ( Co-Researcher)
International
  1. 2018 - 2021, International Funding
    Beyond Resistance And Acquiescence : Indigenous Rights And Citizenship In Malaysia. ( Principal Investigator(PI))

PAPER PRESENTED

PLENARY SPEAKER
  1. COVID-19 and Anthropology in Malaysia, COVID-19 and Anthropology, International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences (International) (14 Jan 2022 - 14 Jan 2022)
INVITED SPEAKER
  1. We have to make them understand : The labour of translation across different worlds, Anthropology Seminar Series, Anthropology Dept, University of Sydney (International) (19 Dec 2022 - 19 Dec 2022)
  2. Researching community history, Orang Asli youth camp, Malaysia Care (National) (14 Dec 2022 - 14 Dec 2022)
ORAL PRESENTER
  1. Like Cucumber to Durian : Indigenous land rights, environmental justice and the criminalization of land protection in Malaysia , Orang Asli Symposium, Orang Asli Archives, Keene State College (International) (11 Oct 2022 - 18 Oct 2022)
  2. Durian plantation occupation and 'natureculture' violence in Malaysia (co-author with Khoo Gaik Cheng), Association of Southeast Asian Studies UK Conference, Association of Southeast Asian Studies UK (International) (08 Sep 2022 - 10 Sep 2022)

ACADEMIC/PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Contribution to external organisation
  1. (2023) Ahli Kumpulan Kerja Teknikal (Technical Working Group - Twg) Laporan Teknikal: Status Kesihatan Masyarakat Orang Asli, 2012 2021, National, (Technical Advisor)
  2. (2022) International Advisory Board, International, (Expert Advisor)

SUPERVISION

Postgraduate Student
PhD/ Doctoral
  1. (2022) A GENDER ANALYSIS OF FARMERS' AGROBIODIVERSITY CHOICES AND PARTICIPATION IN DECISION MAKING IN SOUTH WEST BANGLADESH: TOWARDS UNDERSTANDING EMPOWERMENT IN VULNERABILITY, DOROTHY CHANDRALEKHA A/P CHANDRABALAN
  2. (2022) SINGLEHOOD AMONG EDUCATED PROFESSIONAL WOMEN AND MEN: NEGOTIATING GENDERED EXPERIENCES OF ‘SINGLISM’ IN MALAYSIA, TAN JENNY
  3. (2020) SINGLISM IN MALAYSIA: CONSTRUCTING IDENTITIES AND NEGOTIATING SINGLEHOOD ON SOCIAL MEDIA (PROPOSAL), TAN JENNY
  4. (2020) A GENDER ANALYSIS OF FARMERS' AGROBIODIVERSITY CHOICES AND PARTICIPATION IN DECISION MAKING IN SOUTH WEST BANGLADESH: TOWARDS UNDERSTANDING EMPOWERMENT IN VULNERABILITY, DOROTHY CHANDRALEKHA A/P CHANDRABALAN
  5. (2019) SINGLISM IN MALAYSIA: CONSTRUCTING IDENTITIES AND NEGOTIATING SINGLEHOOD ON SOCIAL MEDIA (PROPOSAL), TAN JENNY
  6. (2018) GENDER DIVISION OF LABOUR AND WOMEN'S DECISION-MAKING POWER IN COFFEE FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN SOUTHERN LAOS, MALIPHONE DOUANGPHACHANH
Master
  1. (2020) MY TRUTH MAKES YOU UNCONFORTABLE: ASIAN AND AFRICAN YOUTH REVOLT AND RECLAIM THE BODY (PROPOSAL), GNEI MEGHANA BAHAR
  2. (2019) MY TRUTH MAKES YOU UNCONFORTABLE: ASIAN AND AFRICAN YOUTH REVOLT AND RECLAIM THE BODY (PROPOSAL), GNEI MEGHANA BAHAR

TEACHING

Master
  1. (2022) AQD7003 - Feminist and Gender Theories
  2. (2022) AQD7005 - Gender and Sustainable Development
  3. (2022) AQD7001 - Methodology and Gender Studies
  4. (2022) AQD7010 - Women S Movement in Southeast Asia
Bachelor
  1. (2022) AIO2002 - Gender and Environment
  2. (2013) AZEA1104 - Gender and Development
  3. (2013) AZEA3307 - Gender and Sosial Work for Social Justice

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ACTIVITIES

  • Board Member, Pusat Sejarah Rakyat, (01 Jan 2022 - 31 Dec 2022) (National)
  • Coordinator, Kedai Jalanan, (22 Mar 2015)
  • Board of Directors, Pusat Sejarah Rakyat, (04 Aug 2013 - 31 Dec 2017)
  • Coordinator and Co-Founder, Sejarah Wanita.Org, (22 Mar 2013 - 31 Dec 2018)
  • Coordinator and Founder, Mari Kita Membaca, (01 Sep 2010 - 31 Dec 2017)