Undergraduate Research & Scholarships

Charles Luu Social Science

The Spatial Transformation of Pulau Bidong and the Built Environment: A Refugee Island Narrative

Scholars Journal

Considering the unprecedented circumstances of the Vietnam War, Charles's project outlines a cohesive narrative of refugee space and the built environment on Pulau Bidong, an island off the West Coast of Malaysia, from 1975 to 1991. The island transformed as refugees flooded the island, with some people experiencing the true "Hell Island" and others somewhat enjoying their time there near the end of the island’s status as the temporal home of many Vietnam War refugees. This research is critical to determining whether Pulau Bidong is honored as a place that holds memories of and for Vietnam refugees rather than a place of commodified history. Depending on the narrative formulated from this project, Pulau Bidong may or may not serve as a blueprint for other refugee islands scattered throughout Southeast Asia.