Dr. Sarah N.R. Wijesinghe is a senior lecturer at the Jeffrey Sachs Centre on Sustainable Development at Sunway University, Malaysia, with expertise in critical tourism, decolonization, and social equity. She earned her degrees in the UK and Malaysia, including a Ph.D. in the field of politics of tourism. Prior to joining Sunway University, she was a lecturer at University of Lincoln, United Kingdom and Taylor’s University, Malaysia.
With over 20 academic publications and extensive experience as a researcher and educator in Malaysia and the UK, Dr. Wijesinghe’s work addresses pressing global issues of inequality, cultural marginalization, and ethical sustainability in tourism and academia.
Through her critical research on post-colonial dynamics and cultural biases, she explores how deeply ingrained inequalities impact both societal and institutional settings, including higher education and tourism. Her recent non-fiction memoir, The Illusions of Freedom, critically examines neoliberal academia and its cultural norms, offering insights into how academic practices influence inclusivity in Asia. As a former leader of “Decolonizing the Curriculum” at the University of Lincoln, UK she has championed initiatives to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in academic and social contexts.
Sarah’s work emphasizes the importance of uncovering implicit biases and rethinking cultural frameworks that sustain inequality. She remains dedicated to challenging the cultural frameworks that sustain inequality and promoting inclusive, equitable approaches to social impact and well-being.