Isabel Friedl '25 was awarded a Research Fulbright in Indonesia, which will offer her a unique, immersive opportunity to learn from several eco-village leaders and their community's pursuit of equity, authenticity and cultural preservation within their environmental practices.
Why did you choose to apply for this award?
I chose to apply for a Fulbright because my education at Occidental showed me how powerful local, grassroots social movements can be, and I wanted the opportunity to study those models more intimately on the ground. At Oxy, I explored the intersection of women’s issues, sustainability, religious studies, and economics, which led me to focus on how communities respond to climate change in culturally grounded ways. During my semester abroad, I became especially interested in eco-village transformations in Indonesia and the ways they balance environmental sustainability with questions of equity, authenticity, and cultural preservation. Fulbright offers a unique opportunity to learn directly from communities leading this work. After the fellowship, I plan to pursue graduate study in economic anthropology or development studies and continue building a research-based practice grounded in justice for both people and the environment.
Briefly describe the work you will be doing on your fellowship.
Through participant observation and interviews with residents and community leaders, I will explore questions of authenticity, equity, environmental sustainability, gender, and how communities define development for themselves. By living in two or three eco-villages with contrasting trajectories, I will compare how different models of development shape social life and local priorities. I will situate my fieldwork within anthropological scholarship on development, religion, and environmental change, with the goal of contributing a community-centered perspective on sustainable development in Indonesia.
What are you most looking forward to during your time as a fellow?
I am most looking forward to building new relationships with activists and seeing the unexpected ways religious practice intersects with environmental transformation. Some of my most memorable and interesting experiences in Indonesia have come through everyday life—sharing meals, singing Dangdut songs, meeting local artists, and learning through immersion. I’m excited that my methods allow me to embrace an authentic and creative approach through immersive participation in these environmental grassroots movements.
How have your experiences at Oxy prepared you to apply for this award?
Studying Economics and Religious Studies simultaneously at Oxy has taught me to think critically across disciplines and approach questions of development, culture, and inequality from an interdisciplinary perspective. Most importantly, Oxy’s strong culture of mentorship made this application possible. I am deeply grateful to my Religious Studies professors—Professors Amoruso, Holmes-Tagchungdarpa, and Khan—for their inspiring teaching, individual mentorship, and recommendation letters. I am also thankful to Jennifer Locke and the Fellowships Office for helping me translate my experiences into a competitive application. I am also so grateful for my advisor Professor Jalil and the Economics department for believing in me and guiding me through my four years at Oxy.
What advice would you give future applicants about the application process?
This project began in 2023, and I will not begin my Fulbright until early 2027. That timeline reflects how applications are often built over several years through experiences both inside and outside the classroom, including language study, relevant coursework, and fellowship opportunities. The experiences that prepared me most were: (1) studying abroad through IPO during the fall of my junior year, (2) completing an independent study on how localized, community-driven development transformations can foster climate resilience, (3) returning to Indonesia for fieldwork through the Schwartz Grant provided by the Economics Department, and (4) applying for and being accepted into the Critical Language Scholarship and Projects for Peace Fellowships.
My biggest advice is to fully take advantage of the opportunities available at a small school like Oxy and to look far beyond your major. Economics and Religious Studies are highly contrasting social sciences, but that combination has shaped my practical yet radical approach to social change. When pursued intentionally, leadership roles, office hours conversations, and smaller fellowship experiences can build on one another and create a strong foundation for a Fulbright application.