Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

A watercolor artwork by Rupa Subramaniam for diverse Indian Women fused with traditional Kalamkari artworks. EXCAPE URMI logo is superimposed on the right.

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Abstract

Exploring Coloniality and Precarity Engagements amongst Urban-Poor Resilient Malaysian Indian Women (EXCAPE-URMI)

This transdisciplinary research project will explore the legacies of colonialism which established racial, political, gender, and class hierarchies of control by favouring some groups and marginalising others in Malaysia. Many Indians who arrived as indentured labourers during British colonisation continue to experience poverty and lag behind all other ethnic groups in terms of social mobility despite various attempts at ameliorating their social conditions through government and international aid programmes. Extensive research has documented the contemporary challenges experienced by Malaysian Indians in overcoming poverty. However, its connection to the historical foundations is yet to be explored. The project addresses this disconnection by applying a decolonial theorising of social issues. Its findings are expected to inform public policy and future initiatives that seek to redress inequalities faced by Urban Poor Malaysian Indian women.

nb. The acronym EXCAPE-URMI is a play of words in service of the transformative action we intend to facilitate through the project. Urmi is a common Indian name for women. Ur(u)mi is also a percussion instrument used in Tamil folk music.

EXCAPE URMI Introduction

[English:] Hi, I’m Geetha the Principal investigator of the EXCAPE URMI Project. Our project takes a decolonial, transdisciplinary and feminist lens on understanding how precarity manifests among Malaysian Indian women. What this means is that we will review the ways legacies of colonialism endure in how various inequalities are perpetuated today. The women in our research collective are co-researchers and co-producers of knowledge about this issue. We will work together to find sustainable solutions that support more security and safety in our lives.

[Tamil:] Vanakkam, en peyar Nithiya,inthaa aayvukuluvil naan thunai aaivalaraaka irukkinren. ungalai ponre malessiya tamil Inthiya pen naan, Inthe Malesiya naattil thalaimurai thaalaimuraiyaaga naam vaaznthu vanthu vaazkaiyai naan ungalodu ninaivukkuura aasaippadukinren. Ennodu neengalum ungalin vaalkaiyai unmaiyaana mananilaiyodu evvitha thayakkamum inri pesalaam. Aagave inthe arputhamaana santhippai thalamaiyerpathil naan makilchi adaikinren

[Malay:] Salam sejahtera, nama Saya Rupa Subramaniam. Sebagai seorang seniwati feminis di Malaysia, saya amat bersyukur dan bangga kerana saya dapat mengunakan ilmu seni untuk mentafsirkan kajian akademia dari rakan sekerja saya. Pada bulan November 2025, kami akan menganjurkan exhibition online untuk memaparkan ilmu ini. Sertai lah kami!

[English:] Hi, I’m Enbah Nilah. I am a poet and literary arts educator. I work as the project manager for Excape Urmi. I am looking forward to developing storytelling methods for the research collective. We will present the narratives we’ve worked on during our art exhibition in November 2025. Hope to see you there!

Funding

Funded by Official Development Assistance International Interdisciplinary Research Projects 2024

The British Academy logo
The British Academy logo

EXCAPE URMI is one of the 28 successful research projects supported under this British Academy programme that bring together innovative, interdisciplinary, and international ideas from across the humanities and social sciences to offer valuable insights and perspectives on ODA-eligible research topics.

Professor Simon Goldhill, Foreign Secretary and Vice-President of the British Academy, welcomed the announcement of this 2024 cohort of award-holders, commenting:

"We are delighted to announce the new ODA International Interdisciplinary Research Project awards. These exciting 2-year programmes bring together international early career researchers across a wide range of disciplines to explore ODA-eligible research topics. Not only will the funding allow for advanced knowledge exchange and development in policy, but it also encourages new ways of communicating and collaborating in multilingual working."

Find out more about the grant from The British Academy

Support Our Initiative

  1. Postdoctoral Research Associate (18 months, Malaysia-based) Opening will be posted in July.
  2. Creative Collaborators (Malaysia-based): Are you a creative professional passionate about social justice? We're seeking for collaborators to translate our research into a digital exhibition (2025/26).
  3. Partner Organisations: Interested organisations with a shared commitment to social change for Malaysian Indian women, we welcome you to explore collaboration opportunities.

Email us at excapeurmi@gmail.com