Dr Sharon Ee Ling QUAH
EDUCATION
Doctor of Philosophy in Arts (Sociology) The University of Sydney
Master of Social Sciences (Applied Sociology) National University of Singapore
Bachelor of Arts (Chinese Studies and Chinese Language) National University of Singapore
SHORT BIOGRAPHY
Dr Sharon Ee Ling Quah has commenced her appointment as a Research Fellow with the Changing Family in Asia cluster with effect from 1 January 2015. Prior to this appointment, she was a postdoctoral fellow with the same research cluster at NUS ARI from June 2013 – December 2014.
Dr Quah’s first sole-authored monograph, Perspectives on Marital Dissolution: Divorce Biographies in Singapore, has recently been published in 2015 by Springer. She is also conducting an exploratory study on Singaporean divorcees from transnational marriages as the Principal Investigator with a research grant awarded by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (Singapore Government).
Dr Quah received her PhD from The University of Sydney in April 2013. In addition to her PhD, she graduated with Master of Social Science (Applied Sociology) in 2002 and Bachelor of Arts (Chinese Studies and Chinese Language) in 1998 from National University of Singapore.
Her research interests include divorce and family in Singapore and Australia, transnational and alternative intimacies, individualisation, personal life and communities, and gender.
AWARDS AND GRANTS
External:
Ministry of Social and Family Development (Singapore Government), Family Research Fund, ‘An exploratory study on Singaporean divorcees from transnational marriages’, Principal Investigator, SGD77,502, 2014-2016
Sydney Southeast Asia Centre, University of Sydney, SSEAC Sabbatical Visitor’s Fund 2015, AUD4,000
Internal:
NUS ARI Research grant for research project, ‘A cross-national comparison study on post-divorce support in Australia and Singapore’, Principal Investigator, SGD3,500, 2014
NUS ARI Annual conference funding, ‘Reconfiguring personal communities in a divorce biography’ at XVIII ISA World Congress of Sociology conference 2014, SGD3,000
NUS ARI Annual conference funding, ‘Pursuing self-fufilment in a divorce biography’ at The Australian Sociological Association conference 2013, SGD2,500
University of Sydney Postgraduate Research Support Scheme, 2010-2011, AUD4,000
Conference scholarship awarded by Asian Studies Association of Australia 18th Biennial Conference 2010, AUD1,000
PUBLICATIONS
Sole-authored Book
Quah, S.E.L. 2015. Perspectives in Marital Dissolution: Divorce Biographies in Singapore. Springer.
Refereed Articles
Quah, S.E.L. 2014. Negotiating post-divorce familial relationships: A case of Singapore divorce biographies. ARI Working paper series no. 226. Singapore: National University of Singapore, Asia Research Institute.
Quah, S.E.L. 2013. ‘Divorce in Singapore’ in Cultural sociology of divorce: An encyclopedia, edited by Robert E. Emery. SAGE Publications.
Quah, S.E.L. 2013. ‘Pursuing self-fufilment in a divorce biography’ in Reflections, Intersections and Aspirations, The Australian Sociological Association Refereed Conference Proceedings, 25 – 28 November 2013, Monash University, Australia.
Quah, S.E.L. 2011. ‘Between communitarianism and individualisation: a discussion on Singaporean family life’ in Local Lives/Global Networks, The Australian Sociological Association Refereed Conference Proceedings, 29 November – 1 December 2011, University of Newcastle, Australia.
Quah, S.E.L. 2010. ‘Choice and Connectedness: explaining divorcees’ experiences through kinship and self’ in Social Causes, Private Lives, The Australian Sociological Association Refereed Conference Proceedings, 6-9 December 2010, Macquarie University, Australia.
Quah, S.E.L. 2010. ‘“Can't do without friends” - a study of the empowering experience of divorcees through friendship and self’ in Crises and Opportunities: Past, Present and Future, Asian Studies Association of Australia (ASAA) 18th Biennial Conference 2010 Refereed Conference Proceedings, 5-8 July 2010, University of Adelaide, Australia.
PROFESSIONAL & TEACHING EXPERIENCE
January 2015 – present
Research Fellow, National University of Singapore, Asia Research Institute
June 2013 – December 2014
Postdoctoral Fellow, National University of Singapore, Asia Research Institute
March 2009 – December 2012
Sessional Lecturer and Tutor, Department of Sociology, The University of Sydney
- Course Coordinator, lecturer and tutor of Winter School 2012 Contemporary Cultural Issues (Year 2), Winter School 2011 Introduction to Sociology 2 (Year 1), Winter School 2010 Introduction to Sociology 2 (Year 1)
- Tutor of Introduction to Sociology 1 (Year 1), Introduction to Sociology 2 (Year 1), Health Determinants and Intervention (Year 1), Global Culture and Society (Year 1), Sociological Theory (Year 2), Contemporary Cultural Issues (Year 2) subjects
Lecturer and Academic Manager, School of Interdisciplinary Studies, Ngee Ann Polytechnic
- Academic manager of 25 Level 2 modules
- Courses coordinated and taught: Social Psychology, Individual and the Community, World Issues: A Singapore’s Perspectives, Communication Toolkit, Insights Into China (conducted in Chinese), Service-Learning in Indonesia (overseas module), Service-Learning in Thailand (overseas module), Innovation & Enterprise
Teacher, Bina Bangsa School (Jakarta, Indonesia)
August 2002 – December 2003
Executive, Community Partnerships, National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre
June 1998 – January 2001
Senior Uniformed Rehabilitation Officer, Singapore Prison Service
INVITED ADDRESS
Quah, S.E.L. 2014. ‘”The whole village must help”: Exploring the effectiveness of social support for Singaporean divorced parents’, panel speaker for 11th Family Research Forum, 28 April 2014, Ministry of Social and Family Development, Singapore.
Quah, S.E.L. 2011. ‘"Students should not be disadvantaged": Maintaining equity in teaching from a casual tutor's perspective’, Panel discussion: Doing the Right Thing: Ethics, justice and inclusion in the teaching of sociology in The Australian Sociological Association Conference 2011, Local Lives/Global Networks, 29 November – 1 December 2011, University of Newcastle, Australia.
CONFERENCE/ SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS
Conference presentations:
Tang, S., & Quah, S.E.L. 2015. ‘Female headed households in Singapore: A case of never married and divorced mothers’ in Singapore Families and Population Dynamics Conference, 28 April 2015, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Quah, S.E.L. 2014. ‘Reconfiguring personal communities in a divorce biography’ (distributed paper) in XVIII International Sociological Association World Congress, 13-19 Jul 2014, Yokohama, Japan.
Quah, S.E.L. 2014. ‘Understanding the reconfigured everyday life of children from divorced-parent families in Singapore’ in Growing up in a one-parent family in Asia conference, 1-2 Jul 2014, Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Quah, S.E.L. 2011. ‘‘My friends and family are there for me': the significance of social network in divorcees' development of self’ in 60 Years of Sociology, The British Sociological Association Annual Conference 2011, 6-8 April 2011, London School of Economics, United Kingdom.
Seminar presentations and lectures:
‘Where do I live now?: Housing issues confronting Singaporean divorced women’, invited speaker for Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) Roundtable discussion series, 12 March 2015, AWARE Centre, Singapore.
‘Race, ethnicity and intimate life’, guest lecture for Sociology undergraduates, 3 February 2015, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
‘Family and Divorce in Australia and Singapore’, invited lecture for Sociology undergraduates, 12 September 2014, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
Inaugural University of Sydney-University of Tokyo postgraduate students’ workshop, invited facilitator, 21 July 2014, Tokyo, Japan.
‘Housing issues faced by Singaporean divorcees’, invited lecture for New Columbo Plan field school (University of Sydney, Sydney Southeast Asia Centre), 4 Jul 2014, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
‘Divorce biographies in Singapore’, Asia Research Institute Seminar Series, 15 April 2014, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
‘Divorce, individualisation and personal communities’, guest lecture for Self and Society unit of study, 31 July 2012, The University of Sydney, Australia.
‘Large Classes Seminar 2 "Working with Teams of Tutors" ’ in Faculty of Arts Teaching and Learning Network seminar, 17 May 2010, The University of Sydney, Australia.
MEDIA INTERVIEW
Quah, S.E.L. 2014. ‘Pre-divorce programmes a possibility for divorcing couples ‘, Channel NewsAsia, 6 May 2014,
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