Dr Susan Conway is a Research Associate at IDS. Areas of specialisation include material culture, the protection of endangered cultural heritage, conservation and preservation, museum education in Southeast Asia, female employment in indigenous culture projects, Theravada Buddhist material culture in Thailand and Myanmar.
IDS: Project Leader Rockefeller Shan Project, 2018-
PROJECT TITLE: The Tai Shan of Myanmar: Protecting and Conserving an Endangered Culture
Documenting and Cataloguing Material Culture in Shan State
Establishing a Digital Library of Shan Material Culture, Shan State
Teaching Anthropology and Material Culture to post-graduate students, Shan State, Myanmar
Relevant publications
BOOKS: Tai Magic: Arts of the Supernatural River Books, Bangkok, 2014
The Shan: Culture Arts and Crafts, Bangkok, 2005
ARTICLES: ‘Textiles and Supernatural Power: A Tai Belief System’ in Journal of Burma Studies, Northern Illinois University Centre for Burma Studies, Volume 22 No 2, December 2017.
Consultant, Princess Sirindhorn Museum Project, 2017-
PROJECT TITLE: Cataloguing the Princess Sirindhorn Museum Collection, Suan Prakhan Palace, Bangkok, Thailand
Documenting and cataloguing a Thai royal collection
Relevant Publications
BOOKS: Princess Sirindhorn Museum Catalogue (at press), Bangkok 2020.
Thai Textiles, British Museum Press, London, 1992.
Convenor ‘Tai Museums and Conservation Panel’ the Tai Studies Conference, Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 2013
Relevant publication
PAPER: ‘Politics of Court Dress and Regalia: Power in a Tai World’, Proceedings of Tai Studies Conference, Chiang Mai University, Thailand
SOAS: Project Leader, MacArthur Foundation Project 2009
PROJECT TITLE: Shan Research and Post Graduate Course in Shan Studies, SOAS London University
Research: Documenting Shan Culture in Shan State
Relevant publications
ARTICLES
Shan Tribute Relations in the Nineteenth Century’ in Journal of Contemporary Buddhism, Taylor and Francis, Vol 10, Number I, May 2009.
Shan expressions of Power and Protection’ in The Secrets of Southeast Asian Textiles, James H.W. Thompson Foundation, Bangkok, 2007.
Ella Walker Fellowship, Bellagio Study Centre, Italy, 2009
Sabbatical to write up and prepare for publication of Shan research
Convenor: Shan Buddhism and Culture Conference, SOAS, London University 2007
Relevant Publications
ARTICLE ‘Shan Tribute Relations’ Shan Buddhism and Culture Conference, Proceedings Published by The Centre for Buddhist Studies, SOAS and the Shan Cultural Association UK (8th– 9th December 2007).
Convenor Shan Studies Panel, ASREASUK conference Magdalene College, Cambridge, 2011. Convenor Shan Studies panel, ASEASUK conference University of Swansea, Wales, 2009.
Consultant Denison Museum, Denison University Ohio, USA, 2007-2008
Cataloguing Shan material
CHAPTER ‘Shan Textiles’ in Eclectic Collecting The formation of the Denison Collection of Burmese Art, Denison University, Denison Ohio, 2008.
Consultant, Shan Collections at the University Museum, Center for Burma Studies, Northern Illinois University, De Kalb Illinois.
Relevant Publications
‘The Soapha at Home and Abroad’ in Through the Thread of Time, (ed. Jane Purananda) James H.W. Thompson Foundation, Bangkok, River Books, 2004.
Senior Curator, Exhibition to launch the James H W Thompson Museum, Bangkok, 2003.
Relevant publications
CATALOGUE Power Dressing, Lanna Shan Siam: James H W Thompson Foundation, Bangkok, 2003.
ARTICLES ‘Dress, Textiles and Trade in Southeast Asia’ Textile Society of America, Smith College, 2003.
‘Power Dressing: Female Court Dress and Marital Alliances in Lan Na, the Shan States and Siam’ in Orientations Vol. 32, No. 4, April 2001
CHAPTER Lanna Male Dress in Peace and War’ in Through the Thread of Time, (ed. Jane Purananda) James H.W. Thompson Foundation, Bangkok, River Books 2004.
Research Fellow, Textile Conservation James W. Thompson Foundation, Bangkok, Thailand, 1994-1999
Consultant, Establishment of the Bank of Thailand Lan Na Museum, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Relevant publications
BOOK Silken Threads and Lacquer Thrones: Lan Na Court Textiles and Dress, River Books and Thames and Hudson, Bangkok, December 2001.
CHAPTER ‘Court Dress, Politics and Ethnicity in the Shan States’ in Burma: Art and Archaeology British Museum Press, 2002.
Project Advisor for NGO ‘Adithi’ Bihar, India 1992-1996
Indira Gandhi fellowship, 1992
Relevant publications
ARTICLES ‘Textiles, women and citizenship in rural Bihar, India’ in Quilters Review, No. 22, 1996.
‘Textiles, Communication and Empowerment: A Women’s Development Project’ in ETN Conference and Textile Celebration, Manchester Metropolitan University, 1996.
‘Bihar Quilting and Northeast Thai Weaving: A Comparative Study of Status’ in Textile History, Vol. 30 (1), 1999.
‘Textiles, Traditions and the Marketplace’ in Text Vol. 24, 1996.
