Sigur Center 2023 Summer Fellows – Sigur Center for Asian Studies

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Tracing back the memory lane, Summer 2023

October 11, 2023October 11, 2023Sigur Center 2023 Summer Fellows, Sigur Center Summer Research & Language FellowsLeave a Comment

Prerna Dokania
Economics PhD Candidate, GWU

Early childhood care and education (ECCE) is a growing focus sector in developing countries. Quite like the HeadStart program in the USA, developing countries like Bangladesh, India, Sub-Saharan Africa, Pakistan have had some ECCE policy in place. This sector has gained prominence in recent years due to the proven importance of early childhood human capital formation in the long run labor market and developmental outcomes. India’s early childhood education program, called the Anganwadi system, is one such policy framework within which children from age 0-6 years and pregnant and lactating women are supported in the form of supplementary nutrition, immunization services and health and education provision, monitoring and guidance. My summer research project aimed at surveying such ECCE providers, referred to as Anganwadi workers, from a semi-urban district – Begusarai, in Bihar, India. The objective was to survey a randomly selected sample of ~ 450 Anganwadi workers and collect data on their perceptions related to functioning of the Anganwadi system at the local level and assess their content-based knowledge of ECCE activities.
In this blog, I want to share my field work experiences and some tips for future survey-based projects.

Bihar is one of the biggest states in India supporting ~ 9 percent of India’s population and infamously part of the BIMARU states (translated in Hindi as ‘sick’ states/ economically disadvantage states). As per the latest national family survey in India, Bihar has an average fertility rate of 3 children per woman compared to the country’s average of 2. This makes Bihar a suitable candidate for understanding the challenges faced by the ECCE workers at the local level. This was going to be my first time in Bihar, even though I had spent my early teens in Jharkhand, a state that was separated from erstwhile Bihar in the year 2000. People in Bihar live in a predominantly patriarchal society set-up with a less than 5% female labor force participation rate. I had anticipated that surveying groups of women in Bihar could be challenging given the cultural/social barriers and had raised quite a few eyebrows for picking Begusarai, Bihar as my study site.

Contrary to my priors, I was pleasantly surprised to witness women at the forefront of the social welfare department (the government body responsible for ECCE policy implementation). The organizational structure is as follows: a district is typically divided into projects, which are further subdivided into sectors, and Anganwadi centers, respectively. Given the target population of the policy, most of the organizational leadership in the department were comprised of women. I conducted surveys in randomly selected sectors and, hence, I had to coordinate with multiple office bearers before planning every survey session. The women leaders I met were very driven, knowledgeable, and resourceful. They had several questions for me; What is the purpose of your survey? Why do you want to survey Anganwadi workers in the absence of their supervisors? What is the potential outcome of your research? Why did I choose their project for my study? These questions felt like a blessing. The project officers seemed interested in the research and had several stories to share with me. Some of them had a lot of encouraging insights on my survey questions and experiment implementation as well. I am grateful to each one of the project heads and the sector heads for helping me organize the survey sessions with ease. One important field-survey lesson here was that I could have prepared an informal questionnaire for such interactions. I also realized that preparing for field-work implementation takes a lot more time (other than writing surveys or research hypothesis) and being at the study-site one-two weeks in advance is instrumental for securing official permissions, scheduling, procuring material and training your team.

A group of people standing and looking at the camera

The one with the team! Pilot Day; Preparing for Day One

An obvious tip that all field researchers have in their experience book is – Pilot your survey! Revise the survey! I could not agree more. I would say, if possible, Pilot again and revise yet again! I saw my survey material metamorphose in one week. I had spent at least a month refining my survey questions sitting behind my laptop in the comfort of my office in Washington DC. But the perspective you get from the field pilot experience is just four-fold. The interaction with respondents is crucial to understand how they are perceiving each question. I had hired a local field management team, and together we spent hours discussing each question in detail and modifying the exact language of the questions. After the pilot, we revisited our surveys. Some questions were dropped, some were enhanced with pictures/emojis, and some were rearranged to facilitate the survey design.

Another big lesson that I learnt from this field experience is regarding survey language translation. My surveys were going to be in Hindi, but I had been editing the English version more than the Hindi version while I was off-site. I had discussed the English version of surveys with my academic advisors and colleagues. However, since I had the benefit of knowing Hindi, I feel I could have saved a lot of time if I had been editing the Hindi version of my surveys instead of perfecting the English version first and then translating it to Hindi. Thus, if the researcher knows the local language, I highly recommend making the edits in the local language first and then translating it into English for IRB purposes. Maybe, being an ambidexter would have helped!

Once we got the ball rolling, everything started falling in place. Every day was a new location, sometimes covering two sessions in a day. A lab-in-the-field project can have lots of moving pieces for a typical session, in terms of having paper forms printed, keeping cash handy for reimbursements (if the surveys are incentivized with cash payments), organizing food packets, carrying spare stationary for respondents and so on. It was a through-and-through learning experience for me and my team. You must maintain inventory of all such items, and even a simple excel sheet can go a long way to help you be organized.

Various survey locations; Begusarai, Bihar, India.

With fieldwork, another important thing to consider is the timing of the survey. The weather was not always on our side. Initially the temperatures were as high as 95°F and as we neared completion of the project, monsoon season had hit. We even encountered waterlogging up to 2 feet on two survey occasions. One should account for such local factors before planning field-based surveys. For instance, months like March-April could be more favorable than July-August in tropical regions of India. I was running almost a week behind my schedule, but usually for larger scale projects there one should keep more buffer. Most of the study locations comprised of a small government building used for regular meetings or a close-by Anganwadi center itself. Some survey locations were spacious, some had proper seating arrangements, some had electricity, while some didn’t have such convenient features. Notwithstanding these barriers, the survey subjects and my team showed utmost resilience and cooperated. We were able to complete the planned project and surveyed 457 respondents in total.

Amidst the daily conundrum of preparing for and travelling to a new location, one constant feature was the enthusiasm of the survey respondents. Typical sessions used to be 3-3.5 hours long and often we had to wait up to 1 hour beyond the scheduled time for all invited respondents to arrive. Nevertheless, the subjects showed patience and had each other’s back as they called and insisted their fellow mates to join us sooner! There were no respondents who did not consent to participate in the study. I was most touched by the hospitality of the subjects. During one of the sessions, the respondents served us a home-cooked sumptuous meal at the end of the session. I wish I had taken a picture! In another session a respondent, who received 130 INR and a book as the final compensation from the research experiment, returned with 3 pens for me and my team to express her gratitude. It was a very humble experience, to say the least! These women who have been working for the social welfare of their communities, at a modest honorarium/stipend, were already spending their valuable time with us and still had a sense of sharing. This survey was more than just a survey for them. Somebody had come over to know more about them, discuss their work with them, and it made them feel more motivated and encouraged.

The one with respondents! (Pics shared by respondents)

As I proceed to analyze the data I have collected, I carry these wonderful memories and wish to expand the scope of my research with a follow-up study.

PS: Thank you for reading my blog! To read up more on the actual findings of this research project, stay tuned to my webpage https://sites.google.com/view/prernadokania/home.

Bio: Prerna Dokania is a PhD candidate in Economics at the George Washington University, Washington DC. She is a Sigur Center Summer 2023 Research Fellow. To learn more about her, visit her website: https://sites.google.com/view/prernadokania/home%20.

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From Under the Overpass to Higher Education

September 6, 2023September 6, 2023Sigur Center 2023 Summer FellowsLeave a Comment

Indonesia’s present 3% increase in annual urbanization rate and rapid pace of rural-to-urban in-migration has accompanied the expansion of urban poverty. Currently, Indonesia’s 22% of the population (29 million) are living in urban slums alongside train tracks, riverbanks, and canals that are often flood-prone (Burger et al., 2019; Kusumaningrum et al., 2021). Importantly, the 29 million urban poor populations include the children living in Jakarta slums who I have encountered and taught every school recess since 2016. I have had a keen passion for ensuring quality and equal learning opportunities for those children, and thanks to the generous support of the Sigur Center for Asian Studies, I could have an opportunity to return to Jakarta and meet with the children again this summer. Over one month of staying there, I conducted interviews with children to understand their experiences in education at an NGO learning center while providing them with basic Korean language lessons.

Every visit to Jakarta always brought me with new insights. However, this summer research trip was particularly special and unforgettable as I had a chance to visit my students’ houses thanks to their parents’ invitation and listen to the stories of volunteer teachers who used to be on the streets. Both home visits and teachers’ stories reaffirmed to me that urban slum children are not deprived in terms of lack of educational opportunities and are not social malice. In contrast to the predominant deficit view, the children are supported to learn and have high motivation to pursue higher education.

Visiting students’ homes: Kontrakan & under the overpass

After walking the windy and narrow streets surrounded by small warungs (family-owned street stalls) and going through the hustle-and-bustle traffic noise, two NGO teachers and I finally reached one of my students’ houses. It was quite challenging to find the place since the house was unseen from the main road. We had to walk deep inside a small alley behind warteg (food stall). My student’s parents warmly welcomed us to come inside the house. The house was kontrakan, a honeycomb-like rental house where residents (often family groups) rent each room of the small house on a monthly or a yearly basis, which was a typical way of living among my students studying at the NGO learning center. I sat down in the shared living room with the parents and NGO teachers, and we spoke about our student’s learning conditions. During our conversation, from sensing our presence, one child after another child woke up in the rooms and came out to the living room where we were.

Figure 1. The narrow alley attached to the main road had to be passed to reach kontrakan.

We then visited another student’s house. After taking an angkot (mini-van-like shared taxis) and crossing the road where cars were running, we reached an overpass. When we walked deeper and further under the overpass, we encountered a small community. Houses were built with wooden boards, and adults and children were sorting the piles of pet plastic bottles that they collected into sacks. Chickens and cats were wandering around them. Noticing our visit, children (including our students) walked towards us for salim (hand-kissing to show respect to the elders) and Mrs. Putri, one of the student’s mothers, invited us to her house. The house was self-made by her husband with wooden boards, and the rectangular space was practically equipped with a kitchen and drawer at each corner. Mrs. Putri then showed us around the house, including the self-made well where she does her laundry with neighbors.

Figure 2. There was a community under the overpass living in self-made houses.

Figure 3. Mrs. Putri guided me and the NGO teachers to the well where she does her laundry.

The two formats of houses were typical living spaces of my students as their parents mostly work as ngamen (street singers), pedagang asongan (street vendors), drivers, construction laborers, and more earning meager income. While economic hardships, limited physical living spaces, and housing insecurities might be the facets that I could understand, what was the most inspiring to me was the neighborhood’s close interactions and mutual care of children. In both houses (i.e., kontrakan and under the overpass) and during our conversations with students’ parents, neighbors were looking after children by feeding them, checking children if they attended schools/learning centers, and joining our conversations with parents with the interest in discussing children’s well-being. From seeing the interactions, I understood that such supportive neighborhoods have enabled children to continue attending the NGO learning center, keep up with their academic motivation, and gain socio-emotional skills.

Respecting volunteer teachers as role models: Towards advanced education

In addition to the neighborhoods’ contribution to fostering a positive environment for children’s education, the stories of volunteer teachers and the teachers’ interactions with children further boosted children’s motivation for coming to the learning center. At the NGO learning center, three teachers were especially respected by students for their “successful stories” and their close interactions with students. Through the one-on-one conversations I had with the three teachers, I realized how crucial their presence at the learning center for the students. Those three teachers had commonalities in that they used to live on the streets and study at the learning center, and now they teach as volunteer teachers after graduating from high school.

The current head coordinator of the NGO learning center, Teacher Bintang used to help his parents earn extra income by playing a small guitar on the streets and bagging money since he was very young. He however gradually stopped street life after starting to attend the learning center since he was in second grade in primary school. He said that the learning at the center which he began at the suggestion of an NGO teacher, whom he met on the streets, changed him to understand the direction in life and motivated him to complete his high school education. Another teacher, Teacher Indah, who currently works as an accountant at an IT company even completed her high school and university education with the scholarships granted by the learning center. Teacher Arief who is now employed after graduating high school is still living in the kontrakan adjacent to some students’ houses, giving much care and attention and listening to everyone’s concerns like a big brother.

The three teachers have shared reasons motivating them to volunteer to teach every weekend. They hoped for children in slums (1) to have equal learning opportunities and happiness as their non-slum peers; (2) to live off from streets by pursuing higher education; and (3) to receive love and attention that they may lack from their busy parents. The teachers’ hopes indeed have been reflected and conveyed through their teaching and interactions with students at the center. According to students, they have increased academic motivation and willingness to attend the center by acknowledging their teachers’ caring words and considering the teachers as respectable role models whom they hope to emulate.

Conclusion: Key takeaway

Visiting students’ homes enabled me to better understand my students’ economically difficult situations. However, a more important understanding I gained was that such situations neither limit students’ learning nor justify their marginalization which is often a dominant view towards children in urban slums. Instead, urban slum neighborhoods’ collected care has been a protective factor supporting children’s socio-emotional and academic learning. Furthermore, the interactions that volunteer teachers have with students have been additional enablers for students, who see the teachers as their role models, to recognize their own possibilities of earning jobs outside the streets and pursuing higher education. Therefore, the important lesson of this research trip was clear: Jakarta slums were not a place of marginalization that needs help, but it is the place where children access learning opportunities and care, and ultimately find motivation for learning and the direction of life.

Note. I used pseudonyms for all names in this blog post to protect their anonymity.

References

Burger, N., Glick, P. J., Perez-Arce, F., Rabinovich, L., Rana, Y. R. L., Srinivasan, S., & Yoong, J. (2013). Indonesia: Urban poverty and program review. World Bank Group. https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports/documentdetail/263151468275080963/indonesia-urban-poverty-analysis-and-program-review

Kusumaningrum, S., Siagian, C., Sari, W. L., Adhi, A. A., Wandasari, W., Febrianto, R., & Tieken, S. (2021). The situation of children and young people in Indonesian cities. Pusat Kajian dan Advokasi Perlindungan dan Kualitas Hidup Anak Universitas Indonesia (PUSKAPA), United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, & Badan Perencanaan Pembangunan Nasional (BAPPENAS). https://www.unicef.org/indonesia/media/12166/file/The%20Situation%20Analysis%20of%20Children%20and%20Young%20People%20in%20Indonesian%20Cities.pdf

By InJung Cho, Sigur Center Summer 2023 Field Research Grant Fellow. Cho is a Ph.D. student in Education at George Washington University. Cho researches educational inequality and learner identity of children in urban slums of Jakarta, Indonesia.

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Beyond Towering Skyscrapers: Hiking Adventures in Hong Kong

September 5, 2023September 6, 2023Sigur Center 2023 Summer FellowsLeave a Comment

Beyond the towering skyscrapers, Hong Kong is a haven for nature adventurers and enthusiasts. The city boasts diverse landscapes, ranging from lush forests and serene beaches to rugged mountains that offer an array of hiking trails. These trails provide an amazing blend of urban vibrancy and natural beauty. You can wander through dense woodlands in the morning and gaze at the city lights from a mountain peak in the evening. These trails showcase Hong Kong’s remarkable ability to merge the natural world with modern living.

Hong Kong’s hiking trails cater to all levels of fitness and experience, regardless of how seasoned or inexperienced you are in hiking. From the famous Dragon’s Back trail, which offers stunning coastal views, to the Lion Rock hike with panoramic city vistas, there’s a trail for everyone. Hiking in Hong Kong isn’t just about physical activity, but also an exploration of the city’s cultural history. Many trails pass by historical landmarks, ancient temples, and traditional villages, providing insight into the city’s rich heritage and offering an opportunity to connect with the past.

During my fieldwork in Hong Kong, I took a day off to explore a famous trail called Poben Chau, situated near the eastern dam of the Man Yee Reservoir in Sai Kung. It falls within the boundaries of the Hong Kong Global Geopark, an area known for its unique geological features and natural landscapes. This hiking route not only provided me a chance to explore the scenic beauty of Hong Kong’s countryside but also allowed me to observe interesting rock formations, geological structures, and other natural features that showcase the region’s geological history (see pictures below).

To hike in this area, the difficulty level of the trails depends on the specific route you take. I chose a route with a difficulty level of four, which required thorough preparation before embarking on the hike. In general, wearing appropriate hiking footwear and clothing, and bringing sufficient water, snacks, and any necessary equipment for comfort and safety, are a must. Along my route, I noticed some sections with “danger” signs. For safety considerations and for those seeking a deeper understanding of the terrain, flora, and fauna, guided hiking tours are a fantastic option.

Hong Kong’s hiking tours offer a captivating blend of nature, culture, and adventure. These trails cater to every preference, whether you are a solo explorer, a family seeking quality time, or a group of friends looking for adventure. So, gear up, set out, and let the enchanting journey begin!

Jingwen Zheng, PhD in Public Policy and Administration

Sigur Center 2023 Research Fellow

Hong Kong

3 Tips for Language Learners: Punjabi Edition

August 8, 2023August 8, 2023Sigur Center 2023 Summer Fellows, Sigur Center Summer Research & Language FellowsLeave a Comment

In this video, I describe different tips and tricks for learning Punjabi while in India.

Simran Bhathal, B.A. in International Affairs 2025

Sigur Center 2023 Language Fellow

India

Midterm Break: American Institute of Indian Studies | Mcleodganj and Dharamshala

August 8, 2023August 8, 2023Sigur Center 2023 Summer Fellows, Sigur Center Summer Research & Language FellowsLeave a Comment

In this video, I share about my experience traveling to Mcleodganj and Dharamshala during my Midterm Break.

Simran Bhathal, B.A. in International Affairs 2025

Sigur Center 2023 Language Fellow

India

A picture of two women, smiling in front of a white board with Punjabi written on it

Punjab Study Abroad Crash Course

August 8, 2023August 8, 2023Sigur Center 2023 Summer Fellows, Sigur Center Summer Research & Language FellowsLeave a Comment

Getting Around

Before coming to Chandigarh, I was very worried about how I would travel from place to place. As an American residing in Washington, D.C. I will say that while I tried to walk as much as I could Chandigarh isn’t a particularly walkable city. As a result, I recommend using rideshare services in metropolitan areas such as Chandigarh instead of public transport. Rickshaws are widely available, but I found InDrive and Uber to be the most reliable ways to travel in Chandigarh. InDrive is essentially the Indian version of Uber, but there are less safety features. On Uber, you are given an OTP verification pin that you must verbally relay to the driver before the driver is able to begin the ride.

InDrive has much less accountability for its drivers, so the only information you have about the driver is their license plate number and their name. In addition, I’ve noticed that many family members may use the same InDrive account so the profile may not always match, or the license plate does not. In these cases, you must weigh the situation and decide whether to proceed with the ride. However, it is difficult to connect an international credit card to Uber and because there are less Uber drivers than InDrive drivers in the area, it takes much longer to get a confirmed ride. Generally, my rule was to take InDrive during the day and Uber at night. It is safe to use rideshare services alone during the day, but I would plan accordingly to be home before dark if you are alone just to be safe. I never had an Uber or InDrive driver in my time in Chandigarh that made me feel unsafe, but always remain vigilant and aware of your surroundings, especially as a lone female.

International Credit Cards

While I was under the impression that my United international credit card would work in India, I quickly realized that this was not the case. Due to the security levels of foreign credit cards being lower, you often can’t use them in India. There were exceptions to this, for example, cafes such as Blue Tokai and Nomad in Chandigarh accepted foreign credit cards because foreigners often visited their establishments. In addition, I was also able to use my credit card in McLeod Ganj and Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh because they were tourist destinations that received many foreigners, particularly Israeli tourists. However, as a rule, carry two to three thousand rupees in cash on you when going out for the day because you can never be sure where your credit card will or won’t be accepted. Make sure some of this cash is constituted by smaller bills, such as ten-, twenty-, fifty-, and hundred-rupee bills if a vendor doesn’t have much change. While the most used electronic payment forms in Chandigarh seem to be PhonePe and PayTM, I would try to set up Google Pay because PhonePe and PayTM require an Indian phone number and bank account.

Getting Sick

Due to the difference in water and food, you will likely often have stomach issues throughout your trip. As a result, I suggest keeping the following remedies to treat yourself as needed. Pour a spoonful of Isabgol (Psyllium) in water and drink a full glass before eating anything for the day or 3-4 hours after eating if you are having constipation or diarrhea, it helps regulate your body’s stool production. If you have a bacterial infection that is causing loose bowel movements, then a three-day course of Azithromycin antibiotic will clear it up. If you are dehydrated, pour a spoonful of Oral Rehydration Salts in your water and drink throughout the day. All these remedies are available over the counter at your local chemist, which is the American equivalent of a pharmacy.

Phone Plan

While I paid for a Verizon international phone plan, I would also invest in a Jio or Airtel Wi-Fi dongle. These portable dongles provide 24-hour Wi-Fi as long as you carry the palm-sized dongle in your pocket or bag after charging it at night. The combination of the Wi-Fi dongle and phone plan made sure I was never without the ability to call or message others in the case of an emergency phone number. On a slightly less serious note, I suggest getting a temporary Indian phone number if possible. For food or package delivery, an Indian phone number is usually necessary, and if you are used to the convenience of Grubhub and UberEATS or Amazon in the US, then you will most likely make use of apps such as Zomato for food and Flip Kart for packages.

Simran Bhathal, B.A. in International Affairs 2025

Sigur Center 2023 Language Fellow

India

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Choosing to Study with AIIS

August 8, 2023August 8, 2023Sigur Center 2023 Summer Fellows, Sigur Center Summer Research & Language FellowsLeave a Comment

The American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS) is an organization focused on promoting American scholarship on India and offers a myriad of language learning programs in South Asian languages. Lucknow, Jaipur, and Kolkata’s AIIS Language Centers are partner institutions of the Critical Language Scholarship offered by the State Department for Urdu, Hindi, and Bangla respectively. In addition to the languages I have mentioned above, AIIS has numerous other language centers across India ranging from Gujarat to Tamil Nadu which are not partner institutions of the CLS program. This past summer, I was studying Punjabi in Chandigarh, Punjab through AIIS from June to August.

In this blog post, I want to discuss some features of the AIIS program that make them a great choice for American students who are interested in studying abroad in India. The program is extremely structured, with 4 hours of class per day and two one-hour one-on-one tutoring sessions with your instructor per week. On every other weekend, there are cultural trips to local heritage sites. For example, I visited Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar, Punjab. For the beginner to intermediate levels, the four hours of class are divided into the several different functions of language learning: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. While the classes and timings are extremely structured, what activities you complete in class vary day to day, so it does not become monotonous. While we work on listening several times a week, our listening materials vary from movie scenes to news segments. Over the course of eight weeks, an extremely detailed syllabus and every single skill needed for learning a new language is thoroughly covered.

While the classes are rigorous and there is homework every day, there is ample time for exploring your city as well. Class begins at 9 AM and ends at 1 or 3 PM depending on if you have a personal tutoring session that day. As a result, you have many evenings and every other weekend of the program available to explore. In addition, AIIS also has a mid-term break where you have three days off. During my midterm break, I was able to travel to McLeod Ganj and Dharamshala in the neighboring state of Himachal Pradesh. Essentially, your language skills will progress exponentially, but you will also be able to take part in local culture and have opportunities to travel.

AIIS staff are also incredibly helpful, caring people. From helping you sort issues with your host family to locating laundry services in your new city, they will do everything they can to help you acclimate to life in a completely different country. Towards the beginning of my program, I got stuck at a cafe with an almost dead phone and not enough money to cover the cost of my meal. The next day, my program teachers asked why I hadn’t called them because they’ve in fact helped students get out of similar situations in the past. While AIIS staff are your teachers, they often do much more than what is included in their job description because they want students to reach out to them in sticky situations.

Through AIIS, my Punjabi skills progressed exponentially because of my in-class learning but I was also able to quickly acclimate to India because of the out-of-class learning as well. I highly recommend studying through the American Institute of Indian Studies if you are looking to study abroad in India because of the efficacy in the classroom and support outside of the classroom offered by the program.

Simran Bhathal, B.A. in International Affairs

Sigur Center 2023 Language Fellow

India