Anna Grundström is an independent researcher based in Brooklyn, New York. Her work centers on the adoptee experience and its historical context.

Her research, titled “The Historical Relevance of Intercountry Adoption from Indonesia (1970-1984)”, explores the sociopolitical events that led to the rise of international adoption in the early years of Indonesia’s New Order era. She is particularly interested in the female perspective, including the impacts of education, traditional and social expectations, and economic inequality. Anna conducts her research under the guidance of Dr Baskara T. Wardaya of Sahabat Insan, a Fulbright-affiliated Indonesian historian, and author with expertise in Indonesia’s history during 1965 and the New Order era. As one of thousands of babies adopted from Indonesia during this period, Anna hopes to provide a more nuanced understanding of adoption from a sociopolitical and human rights perspective, addressing an overlooked aspect of history.

She earned her bachelor’s degree with honors in multicultural literature and creative writing from the City University of New York.