2019-2020 Blasphemy Laws and Discrimination in Indonesia
The Stanford King Center on Global Development offers undergraduate students interested in global poverty and development the opportunity to work on faculty-led projects and gain fieldwork experience through the Summer Undergraduate Field Research Assistant Program.
Selected students spend up to 12 weeks in a low- or middle-income country conducting research for a Stanford faculty member or affiliate. Each research assistant receives a stipend to cover travel and living expenses. Research assistants may have the opportunity to discuss their work at an event organized by the Stanford King Center on Global Development.
Description:
This research opportunity, which is part of Stanford’s Cardinal Quarter initiative, is offered through a partnership between Stanford’s Center for Human Rights and International Justice and its main partner NGO in Indonesia, the Institute for an Independent Judiciary (LeIP).
The Center for Human Rights and International Justice has been engaged in rule of law, human rights, and justice sector reform projects in Indonesia continuously since 2002. It provides research, training, and policy analysis for Indonesian institutions, including the Supreme Court, the National Human Rights Commission, the National Anti-Corruption Commission, Indonesia Legal Aid, and several others. It has partnered for many years with two key justice sector and human rights NGOs, LeIP and the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM).
This research would involve working with LeIP on a project, funded by the Norwegian Embassy in Jakarta, that builds upon previous research on the increasing use of blasphemy laws to suppress or discriminate against minorities and marginalized groups. The project will involve research leading to training tools and policy recommendations on the full range of human rights issues and their interaction with the Indonesian Electronic Communications Law and the Criminal Defamation Law. This research will provide the basis for revising the human rights curriculum module in the National Judicial Training Center and National Prosecution Training Center. Another research direction will involve developing human rights training materials for a USAID sponsored initiative in collaboration with the Council of ASEAN Supreme Court Chief Justices. Students will be part of the collaborative effort between LeIP’s research team and the Center for Human Rights and International Justice. Activities wil also include participating in capacity building workshops for civil society emphasizing evidence-based advocacy.
The intern would be based at the LeIP office in Jakarta from approximately June 20 to September 10, 2020. Oversight for the team is provided by Professor David Cohen and Dian Rositawati, former Director of LeIP (still on the Executive Board ) and current Indonesia Program Coordinator for the Center for Human Rights and International Justice.
Community Partner: Institute for an Independent Judiciary (LeIP)
Faculty supervisor: Professor David Cohen, Department of Classics and Director,Center for Human Rights and International Justice
Co-Supervisor: AIJI Indonesia Program Director, Dian Rositawati, Center for Human Rights and International Justice
Dates: 12 weeks: Approximately June 20 to September 10, 2020
Location(s): Jakarta, Indonesia
Program Costs:
The Stanford King Center on Global Development will cover:
- Round-trip, economy class airfare (based on fares to and from San Francisco)
- In-country accommodation
- A nominal stipend, sufficient to cover food and basic living costs including in-country transportation necessary for research
- Students receiving financial aid will have supplementary money added to the stipend depending on the level of aid.
Students are financially responsible for:
- pre-departure immunizations
- travel medicine consultation
- health insurance
- visa costs
- all other incidental expenses including personal travel
- Prepare English language versions of the training tools and other documents for use in other South- and Southeast Asian countries
- Work with the Institute for an Independent Judiciary research team on comparative research and analysis of human rights laws and prosecutions in other countries, and particularly in South- and Southeast Asia as well as research for ASEAN judiciaries on human trafficking and fair trial rights
- Participate in capacity building workshops for civil society emphasizing evidence-based advocacy
- Participate in capacity building workshops for Indonesian judges, prosecutors, legal aid lawyers, and investigators for the National Human Rights Commission
- Stanford undergraduates in good academic standing are eligible to apply.
- All majors are welcome.
- Students must be currently enrolled at Stanford as well as spring and fall quarters of 2020
- All research assistants are required to work at least 35 hours per week for a minimum of 9 consecutive weeks in the field.
- Knowledge of Bahasa Indonesia or Bahasa Malaya would be an advantage but is not required.
In Addition:
- Per Stanford International Travel Policy, this opportunity is conditional on the security level in the country remaining at level 1 or 2. See the U.S. Department of State for more information.
- International students must check with the Bechtel International Center regarding whether their immigration status will allow them to travel over the summer.
- Students will be required to attend or complete in spring quarter:
- An Office of International Affairs (OIA) international travel preparation course on Canvas;
- A Stanford King Center on Global Development orientation session regarding compliance with Stanford University policies;
- A field research information session; and
- A Vaden Travel Health information session and/or a travel clinic appointment.
- Please note that these will be held in spring quarter and are mandatory.
- This opportunity is made possible by VPUE funding. Please see VPUE guidelines here for details.
Next Steps:
Along with the application, applicants are asked to submit a c.v., an official Stanford transcript and one letter of recommendation, preferably from faculty or from supervisor in relevant work. Your letter writer may submit a letter at any time once you have entered their name in the SOLO application. Out of courtesy to the letter writer, please do not wait to add their name until you are ready to submit your application; add their name as soon as you know you will be applying and have requested a letter from them. The deadline for the letter of recommendation is the same deadline as the application.
After the application deadline of Thursday, February 6, 2020 at 11:59pm, completed applications will be reviewed by a Center for Human Rights and International Justice committee that will be managing the selection process and finalists will be invited for an in-person interview.
Candidates will be selected based on overall fit with the program, especially enthusiasm for the research focus, and the ability to work both on a team and independently.
