Communication and Media graduate student Dien Luong has been honored with the 2025 Robert J. Donia Graduate Student Fellowship from the U-M International Institute's Donia Human Rights Center. This prize aims to support graduate students engaged in research on human rights; winners will conduct research leading to the writing of a paper on a relevant topic of their choosing.
Dien's project, "Digital Threats to Journalists in Southeast Asia: barriers to Security Adoption and Human Rights Implications," will investigate how journalists in high-risk environments across Southeast Asia— particularly in Myanmar and Vietnam— perceive and respond to escalating digital threats, and what barriers prevent them from adopting available digital security tools. By employing a mixed-methods approach, including secure surveys and in-depth interviews, the project will generate rare empirical evidence on how regional, cultural, and political factors shape journalist vulnerability in one of the world's most challenging press freedom landscapes.
This work directly addresses fundamental human rights concerns enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights— freedom of expression, privacy, and protection of journalists— and will produce actionable insights to guide advocacy groups, policymakers, and digital rights organizations working to safeguard press freedom in Southeast Asia.
Congratulations, Dien!
