Background

Asmali Hj Sulaiman was born in Kuala Belait, Negara Brunei Darussalam. He received his secondary school education at the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha High School and at Maktab Duli Pengiran Muda Al-Muhtadee Billah College. He came as an undergraduate to UBD in 1997, majoring in History, with Sociology as his minor discipline (UBD having no major programme in Sociology-Anthropology at that time.)  In his third undergraduate year, Asmali was chosen to represent Brunei at the Third ASEF Summer School in Lund, Sweden. He graduated from UBD in 2001 with a first class honours degree and was also recipient that year of the book prize award for history.

After graduation, Asmali was recruited as a tutor for the Sociology-Anthropology Unit, a position he held from 2001-2003. He left for the London School of Economics to purse a M.Sc. programme in Sociology in 2002. At LSE Asmali focused his studies on the areas of development and crime and deviance, working under Leslie Sklair, Stanley Cohen and Paul Rock. Prior to his graduation in late 2003, Asmali wrote a M.Sc. essay “The Rentier State: A Review” under Leslie Skair’s supervision. Asmali was promoted to a Lectureship in November 2003, a position he still holds.

Teaching

At UBD, Asmali has taught the introductory courses: Making Sense of Society and Social Psychology, as well as the topical courses: Economy and Society, Sociology of Development, Urban Society, and Sociology of Popular Culture.

Research

Asmali’s research interests focus on youth society and culture, especially in times of rapid change. He is interested in patterns of socialization and in deviance and crime—particularly as they relate to youth. He is also interested in political sociology and in social stratification, particularly within the Bruneian context.

Publications

2000. The Silversmithing in Brunei—A Question of Survival. Undergraduate  fieldwork exercise, UBD. ii + 35pp., illustrated.

China and Taiwan: Historical and Recent problems with Reunification 1945-2000. Academic Exercise, Department of History, UBD. x + 105pp.

2003. The Rentier State: A Review. M.Sc. essay, The London School of Economics. iii + 49pp.

2005. The Education Trend in ASEAN: Emphasis on Secondary Education. Seventh AUN Educational Forum, De La Salle University, Manila. 10 pp.

2006. (with Diana Cheong and Hj Roslee Haji Baha), A Survey of the Public’s Evaluation of Gerakan Ibu Bapa Belia (GIBB) in Brunei Darussalam. Sponsored by the Narcotic Control; Bureau, Prime Minister’s Office. 40 pp.