Carthage professor wins Fulbright to study afterlife beliefs in unique Indonesian culture

The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program has awarded a research fellowship to Carthage College psychological science professor Melanie Nyhof, expanding her research in Southeast Asia.

Prof. Nyhof departed for Indonesia on Nov. 16. She’ll spend 10 months in Tana Toraja — a distinctive region on the country’s fourth-largest island. The project explores children’s beliefs about death and the afterlife, and how religion and culture shape those views.

It’s the second Fulbright award for Prof. Nyhof, who previously earned a student fellowship that funded her first research trip to Indonesia in 2009. Her work was based in Yogyakarta, a city on the densely populated island of Java, but five days in Tana Toraja piqued her interest in the local culture and its rituals.

“Funerals there were like nothing I’d ever experienced. They can last for several days, and the entire village is involved,” says Prof. Nyhof. “I’m eager to spend more time there, observing facets of the culture in-depth.”

Hosted by Universitas Kristen Indonesia (UKI) Toraja, she’ll work with a local theology professor and other collaborators. They’ll help her coordinate visits to schools and worship spaces, as well as interviews with parents and leaders.

“This prestigious award is a testament to Dr. Nyhof’s outstanding scholarship and deep commitment to international engagement and academic excellence,” says Professor Peter Dennee, liaison to the Fulbright Program.

Carthage has hired two adjunct faculty members to fill in for Prof. Nyhof, who teaches courses in developmental and cultural psychology, research methods, and statistics. She holds a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Pittsburgh.

When the Fulbrighter returns to campus next fall, she’ll have plenty of follow-up student research projects. In the meantime, Prof. Nyhof’s eight Carthage lab assistants will push forward on related studies, analyzing depictions of death and the afterlife in children’s movies and kids’ understanding of animals’ mental capacity.

The College also has an extensive track record of success in earning student fellowships through the Fulbright Program.