Health Sciences

What drove me toward sexuality studies with particular interest in men and masculinity initially came from my first experience involved in a UNFPA funded project in 1996 on men’s sexual and reproductive health as a program coordinator.  In 2003, I decided to pursue a Masters degree in human sexuality studies at San Francisco State University, USA to sharpen my academic background on sexuality. The fundamental change in my study about men came when I conducted my Master’s thesis study looking at how female virginity enhances masculinity.  Following up, my research experience was strengthened again when I reintegrated into my old culture after finishing my Master’s degree in 2005.  I had been working at both application and academic levels on men having sex with men, people living with HIV, and teaching medical anthropology for BPH students at the Hanoi School of Public Health. Being at ARCSHS as a Phd candidate is my fortune as it enables me to invest my time and energy to pursue my life eager study interest on masculinity subject for the next over three years.

Disciplinary interests

Sub-cultures of sexuality, masculinities, social change, colonial anthropology
Qualitative, particularly interested in ethnographic approach

The construction of masculinities as seen though the lenses of gender and sexuality in contemporary Vietnam

I am going to look at what makes a Vietnamese man a man in  contemporary society and how it relates to social change in Vietnamese history since the colonial period and onward.

“Gaps in Sex education in Vietnam” - A content analysis study

“Sexual behavior and teen culture of Vietnamese adolescents” – A content analysis study of blogs and internet spring boards

“An Ethnographic Study on Risky Behaviors causing HIV infection among current drug users in ChiLinh District, Hai Duong”

“Needs Assessment on Reproductive Health Information and Services – A Qualitative Study among Migrant Workers in Industrial Zones in Quy Nhon, Binh Dinh” – Under the Consultancy Contract with UNFPA

“How Cultural Practices Affect the Reproductive Health Seeking Behaviors among Ethnic Minorities  – An Ethnographic Study in Binh Dinh, Vietnam” – Under the Consultancy Contract with UNFPA

“Measurement of Quality of Life in the Aged “- Exploratory Study in Thanh Mien, Hai Duong, Vietnam

“Intervention Model on Acute Respiratory Infection Reduction Among Children Under Five” – Study in Hung Son Commune, Thanh Mien, Hai Duong, Vietnam

“Intervention Model of HIV/AIDS Prevention with Men who have sex with Men in Hai Phong, Vietnam”.  Project Evaluation Research funded by United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization - 2006

"How Virginity Enhances Masculinity - An Exploratory Study in Hanoi, Vietnam" - Funding awarded by the Population Council - 2004

"Promoting gender equality and male responsibility in reproductive health", Project Baseline Research funded by United Nations Population Fund - 1998

"Men Attitude on Family Planning and Reproductive Health at two mountainous communes, Northern Vietnam", research funded by Population Council and American Friends Service Committee - 1997

“Men having sex with Men – concept and situation in Vietnam”, paper presentation at an annual scientific seminar of the Consultation of Investment in Health Promotion (CIHP) Hanoi, Vietnam. May 2007

“Perceptions towards premarital sex and female virginity among young Vietnamese men”, paper presentation at a conference of the University Consortium for Sexuality Research & Training entitled The Future of Sexuality Research: Methodological to Social Policy Innovations, Ohio, USA - April 2007

“The Perception and Attitude of Young Male Students Towards their Prospective Marriage Partners' Virginity and its Impacts on their Inter-Relations”, paper presentation at the 5th International Convention of Asia Scholars (ICAS 5), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  August 2006

“Gaps and Challenges of doing research on sexuality in Vietnam – Observations and Experience Sharing”, paper presentation at  learning forum on “Mapping sexuality and sexual health research and programs in Vietnam”, Hanoi, Vietnam. April 2006

“The meanings of female virginity”, poster presentation  at the 3rd Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health (APCRSH) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  November 2005

"Perceptions and Attitudes of Young Male Students toward Premarital Sex", paper presentation at the First China International Forum on Sexual Medicine in Chongqing, China. October 2005

"Sexual Behavior and the Value of Partner Virginity: A Study of College Age Male Vietnamese Students”, paper presentation at the XXV International Population Conference of the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population (IUSSP), Tours, France, Session XXX, “Male Fertility and Sexual Behavior”. July 2005

"How Virginity Enhances Masculinity - An Exploratory Study in Hanoi, Vietnam", paper presentation at the 2005 Conference on Sexual Rights and Moral Panics held by the International Association for the Study of Sexuality, Culture and Society (IASSCS), San Francisco, USA. June 2005

"The perceptions and attitudes of young male students towards their prospective marriage partners' virginity and its impacts on inter-relations.", paper presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Canadian Sociology and Anthropology Association, in London, Ontario, Canada. May/June 2005

Email: mcla@students.latrobe.edu.au
Phone:  +61.3.9285.5302
Cell:     +61.4.0361.1299