Page 36 - E-BOOK PULSE@FASS ISU NO.01/2023

FELICITATIONSELICITATIONSELICITATIONS
FF Issue no. 4 | 2022
THE RETIREMENT OF FEMINIST SCHOLAR,

PROFESSOR DR. SHANTHI THAMBIAH

1 January 1996 - 10 Mac 2023
Gender Studies Programme
Professor Shanthi Thambiah has had a long and distinguished career as
an academician and researcher of Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences,
one that has served so many both within and outside of academia. Within
the Faculty, she contributed extensively to the longevity of the Gender
Studies Programme, especially in developing a strong curriculum for the
minor for undergraduates and after a decade of effort, introducing the
Master by Coursework in Gender Studies. An anthropologist who has
worked in indigenous studies, refugee and migrant issues, gender and
work, changing gender relations, and changing gender roles in the
family; Professor Thambiah has encouraged, supported and mentored so
many who have walked through FASS.

Professor Thambiah earned her B.A in Southeast Asian Studies at FASS,
and later was granted a scholarship for a Master in Anthropology from
Cambridge University, before pursuing her PhD at Hull University. Upon completion, she was invited back to the Faculty
of Arts and Social Sciences to establish the Gender Studies Programme, one of the first in the country. To develop the
programme, she worked closely with giants in the field of gender studies, Professor Dr. Nik Safiah Nik Karim and Professor
Dr. Rokiah Talib. While generally seen as a provocative subject then, the team was able to successfully establish the
programme in 1995.

Professor Thambiah believed that establishment of the Gender Studies Programme in Universiti Malaya, was undeniably
the result of a global women’s movement, which later impacted and pushed for a Global South centric feminist lens. At
the centre of this, the Gender Studies Programme led by Professor Thambiah applied the use of independent and
inclusive epistemologies and placed a strong focus on the lived experiences of local individuals and communities. Thus,
she spent most of her academic career not only in expanding local discourse of oppression, but also in working closely
with marginalised and discriminated communities.

Also, through the programme, Professor Thambiah has been involved in many important policy and curriculum making
efforts, previously holding roles such as Committee Member of NAM Institute for the Empowerment of Women,
Committee Member to Southeast Asian Association for Gender Studies, Member of the Drafting Committee of the Gender
Equality Act of Malaysia while in collaboration with Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development Malaysia
and others. For her, it was important that society learned to develop a deep awareness of how gender was a key issue that
needed to be placed in the centre of development and progress in Malaysia.

From all of us at the Gender Studies Programme and on behalf of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, we thank
Professor Thambiah immensely for her role in building and shaping our Programme to become more diverse and well
known, both nationally and internationally. While she has already accepted the position of Honorary Professor at FASS, it
is important to state that we are proud to have been mentored and guided by her wisdom and congratulate her on a well-
deserved retirement. Professor Thambiah continues to share her passion and commitment to teaching, mentoring, and
researching within the pillars of gender studies both inside and outside of academia and shows no sign of slowing down.

We believe she will, as always, continue to serve the community as the renowned Feminist Scholar she is known as.

Happy Retirement, Prof Shanthi!
Happy Retirement, Prof Shanthi!

35 | Pulse @ FASS