Margaret B. Bodemer

Margaret B. Bodemer is a Lecturer in the History Department at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), within the College of Liberal Arts. Her research and teaching focus on East Asian History, the history of anthropology, museums, and cultural heritage, with specializations in Modern China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and World War Two studies. She actively promotes interdisciplinary approaches, emphasizing how historical perceptions shape contemporary identities.

Dr. Bodemer holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Anthropology from the University of Hawai‘i Mānoa, and a B.A. in International Studies and History from the University of Washington. Her courses include U.S. and East Asian cultural studies, modern Southeast Asia, and public history.

Her research explores cultural heritage, war memory, and race, particularly in Vietnam and the Asia-Pacific region. Recent work highlights inclusive narratives of World War Two history and the role of museums in shaping collective memory. She has conducted ethnographic fieldwork in Vietnam and contributed to international museum projects.

Notable awards include the Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad and the John F. Embree Fellowship. She serves as a manuscript reviewer for major journals, advises academic organizations like the Vietnamese Language and Culture Roundtable, and chairs the Vietnam Studies Group within the Association of Asian Studies.

In addition to academic roles, she has led Global Programs in Vietnam and East Asia for Cal Poly and advocates for part-time faculty representation on the Academic Senate.