Troubles with Research

I managed to get the research position I wanted. However, the situation is odd for me because it's about positive exceptions to a normally negative situation.

Let's say for example, the idea that debutante/pageants/modelling are not examples of women playing into gender roles, but a celebration of their feminity. To be sure, its a complicated issue, but nonetheless. Anyway, this research is about the positive aspects of Filipinas marrying men in other countries- not because of mail order bride systems, not because of domestic workers, but because they are the same education level and they met each other.

Isn't that odd? And I wonder about myself if I am really just stuck in a box of prejudicial thought? But how do I stop this when all I think of is how all those mail order brides sites pop up if you type in the word "Filipina". I mean the norm should be that we expect Filipinas to marry for love and not because of these systems of exploitation, right? On a sidenote, how did the world get so fucked up? I probably know a part of it, but that's too long to exposit on a blog.

So I guess my research is just kind of at a standstill as I struggle with these issues. I feel like I'm researching against the grain of what I believe. But maybe then it will be a good thing to expand my mind. Even if I find the research I do to be more exceptional than normal.

Interesting Research Projects through UC Berkeley

so.... the URAP projects for UC Berkeley are finally online.

I'm really excited about this one!!!

The Role of Filipinas in the Making of Filipino-Irano Community
Open. Apprentices needed for the fall semester. Enter your application on-line August 21st through September 4th. Activate it by submitting paper copy and transcript at the URAP office by Tuesday, September 4th, 5 PM.
The Iranian Revolution of 1979, the cultural revolution, and subsequent closure of Iranian Universities compelled many young Iranian men to pursue higher education abraod. The quality of education, geographical proximity, and lower cost of education made the Philippines a country of choice for many of them. Interactions of these Iranian men with Filipinas, in many cases, have led to intimate relationships and marriages. Christian Filipinas married to Iranin men residing in Iran are the subject of this research.The research explores the making of the Filipino-Irano Community and the role of Filipinas in that making. It examines the challenges these Filipinas have faced in Iran and the methods they have used to negotiate between different religion,culture, and social expectation. The research draws on literature on transnational and transcultural marriages. Qualifications: A research assistant should have strong interest in the subject and ability to work independently. The research involves conducting library seach, identifying, reading, copying, and summerizing relevant literature.Weekly Hours: to be negotiated
Related website: http://socrates.berkeley.edu:7013/scholars06-07/zahedi.htm