Maryann Bylander

Maryann Bylander is completing her Ph.D in Sociology at UT Austin. She is interested in migration, development/globalization and civil society. Her dissertation, entitled “Looking Elsewhere: Migration and Livelihood Strategies in Rural Cambodia”, is a qualitative case study of a rural Cambodian community where international migration to Thailand has recently become a dominant livelihood strategy. Based on extensive fieldwork and in-depth interviews, her research considers how local context mitigates the potential of migration to contribute to social and economic development development. Shifting the focus from macro processes to individuals and households, Maryann shows how changing migration patterns have influenced decision-making processes related to consumption, agricultural production, debt, and education. In addition to serving as a TA in introductory and advanced level courses in Sociology, Maryann teaches an undergraduate course at UT-Austin entitled "Introduction to Sociology of Development". She was also an instructor at Pannasastra University in Cambodia where she taught an undergraduate course on Gender Issues in Cambodia . She has received grants from The American Association of University Women as well as P.E.O International. She is proficient in Khmer and French. With extensive knowledge of Cambodia, she combines academic training in sociology with substantial experience working in the aid industry. Maryann’s future research plans include a study of microfinance and migration in Southeast Asia, seeking to better understand how microfinance and debt are enabling international migrations.