Grounded in ten years of research, this collection of essays works to capture the value of stepping out of the classroom environment and away from computer screens. From Classrooms to Rice Fields will take readers on a voyage to the culturally rich and complex island of Bali in the Indonesian archipelago. Each year, the sociology and anthropology programs at the University of Guam engage in field studies in Bali with undergraduate students seeking to understand both the world and themselves more deeply. This book captures the stories and experiences of scholars and students alike, including social workers, filmmakers, activists, writers, development practitioners, indigenous farmers, and weavers. From Classrooms to Rice Fields deals with the all-important questions of change for communities and indigenous people in both Asia and the Pacific trying to find their place in the modern world. Readers will be uplifted by the spirit and passion of lessons learned as we all attempt to rediscover community in the 21st century.

The Pacific island students on the University of Guam's Field Studies Program come to Bali seeking insight into how a traditional culture can thrive in the midst of globalization. Their research is far more than an academic pursuit for it speaks to intensely personal questions of community identity, questions we should all be asking ourselves, wherever we live. -William Ingram, co-founder and co-director of Threads of Life, Bali, Indonesia Our ancient Balinese culture and way of life are honored by the contributions of this book... In Bali we believe that God is in the rice and ... for students and academics to step out of their classrooms and travel to Bali to learn and grow is a most noble and beneficial act... Thus, to step into the rice fields is the most natural step of all, since this is the real classroom of our lives. -Nyoman Bagiarta, founder and manager of Puri Lumbung and former director of the Bali Hotel & Tourism Institute

About the Author
Kirk Johnson was raised in the rural mountains of Western India. He received two master's degrees from Ohio University and a Ph.D. from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He now works as a professor of sociology at the University of Guam. Johnson is the author or editor of four books and has written more than twenty referred journal articles. He has been the director of the Bali Field School since 2004.


Book Information
ISBN 9780761857129
Author Kirk A. Johnson
Format Paperback
Page Count 330
Imprint University Press of America
Publisher University Press of America
Weight(grams) 494g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 154mm * 23mm