Introduction and First Impressions- Julia Sackett

My name is Julia Sackett, and I am one of the six students in the Encompass Southeast Asia program. I am a rising senior, with a double major in Arabic and International Relations with a concentration in world politics and diplomacy. As a student of Dr. Datta, I was introduced to this trip through his Global Governance class. I never had much reason to believe I’d ever make it to Southeast Asia in my lifetime, nor did I have much of an inherent desire to explore this particular region. However, when Dean Merritt and Dr. Datta explained the focus of the trip, as well as the unique issues that plague this area, I realized how fascinating the program could be.

As I progressed through my junior year, I began to realize that the study of migrant labor is of particular interest to me. My semester studying abroad in the UAE, a country heavily reliant on foreign workers to create infrastructure, inspired me to research systems of labor migration and the human rights abuses that arise from them. I had a general idea of the role of migrant labor in Thailand after Dr. Datta’s class, however it wasn’t until we visited with Sebastian Boll at the UNACT that I came to have a fuller grasp of the situation. Our visit with him revealed to me the specific intricacies of the Thai fishing industry, and how the vulnerabilities of minority populations within Thailand (and surrounding nations) lead to their entrapment and abuse.  Mr. Boll spoke about the manner in which society views its minorities; he informed us of a study that noted how Thai citizens with less exposure to migrant workers tend to have worse attitudes towards them.

Sebastian provided us with so much information that its difficult to focus on just one part. However, the biggest thing that I took away from our visit with the UNACT, and perhaps from the entirety of our time in Bangkok, is that understanding others (and understanding yourself) is key to making change. Acting without knowledge of others leads to inequality, maltreatment, and cruelty. But with a deeper understanding of communities that differ from your own, I think we can work towards a better, more connected humanity. I realize this sounds idealistic, but I suppose a little idealism isn’t always a bad thing.

Overall, my time in Bangkok has been a wonderful learning experience. I look forward to exploring Chiang Rai and Cambodia.