Yap Way Shen Russell James Jr

Ph.D. (Anthropology)

Thesis/research topic: Why we work: an anthropological investigation into the lived experiences of gay men in Singapore

Russell Yap is currently a PhD student in Anthropology at the National University of Singapore supported by the NUS Research Scholarship. Russell was a recipient of the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme administered by the University Grants Committee in Hong Kong. Russell obtained his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the Nanyang Technological University and Singapore Management University respectively. He serves on the executive committee for the Association of Southeast Asia Studies, as well as sits on the Advisory Committee for English Programmes under the auspices of the Information Development Authority of Singapore. Previously Russell worked at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at the National University of Singapore. His research interests includes gender, identity, sexuality narratives. Similarly, Russell’s research also looks into how these aspects of life may manifest through urban infrastructure. Russell tweets at @russellyap on X and on Bluesky.

Publications:

Published:

1. “Repression, Resistance & Revolution: The Politics of International Queer Communication”: Book Chapter. Published in Democracy, youth resistance, and activism in Southeast and East Asia (NY: Pace University Press).

Under review:

1. Kai Khiun Liew & Russell Yap, “Resisting Atrophy: Singlish as Cultural Ballast”: under review for Resilient Cultures in East and Southeast Asia (Palgrave Macmillan)

2. Russell Yap & Kai Khiun Liew: “Contested spaces along the fringes - examining facilitated spaces that bridge space and privilege in LGBTQ+ Singapore”: under review for the Routledge Companion for LGBTQ media (Routledge)

Conference presentations:

· 2025 - “Spectres of queer utopias: reflections on Singapore and beyond”, South East Asian Studies Regional Exchange Program (SEASREP) Foundation – Bangkok, Thailand

· 2025 - “Spectres of queer utopias: reflections on Singapore and beyond”, 12th Biennial Association for Southeast Asian Cinemas Conference – Chiang Mai, Thailand

· 2025 - “Moving from the imagined to the imaginary: mapping latent aspirations in gay utopias and imaginaries for gay men in Singapore”, II International Congress on

Media, Gender and Sexualities: Representations, Literacies and Audiences – Benasque, Spain

· 2023 - “In the Merlion’s circle: the making sense of air travel as a soft power tool in Singapore’s foreign policy”, Association of Southeast Asia Studies Annual Conference 2023 – Jakarta, Indonesia

· 2023 - “Repression, Resistance & Revolution: The Politics of International Queer Communication”, Democracy, youth resistance, and activism is Southeast and East Asia – New York, USA

Education:

Master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the Nanyang Technological University and Singapore Management University

Contact Info
Email ID: russellyap@u.nus.edu