Students who have participated in study abroad courses exhibit an improved capacity for citizenship, emotional growth, and global competence. However, achieving such requires that study abroad courses be designed to allow students to question their underlying beliefs and values – a concept called dissonance. When individuals reflect on dissonance, it has been reported to spur a process in which their previously held perspectives are transformed. As such, this investigation sought to compare the dissonance experienced by agriculture majors (N =21) at Louisiana State University during study abroad courses to Costa Rica and Thailand. We bounded cases by academic college, degree level, and year. However, they were distinct regarding context and duration. As a result, two forms of dissonance were consistent across cases: intellectual and moral. However, within cases, we also distilled context-specific dissonance that students grappled with that helped them reconsider their previously held worldviews. Our findings demonstrated that when students processed dissonance productively, their global knowledge and perspectives were transformed. We also concluded that although shared forms of dissonance existed, it is imperative for faculty to design students’ experiences abroad purposefully to nurture students’ perspective changes in transformative ways. Keywords: Costa Rica; dissonance; study abroad; Thailand; university agriculture student

Previous research has demonstrated that empowering women in developing nations has been shown to enhance agricultural productivity and rural development. Although women in Southeast Asia are often considered to be more empowered than in other parts of the world, in Thailand, women still experience persistent barriers to gender equality. In response, this case study examined the positionality of women in Thailand’s agricultural sector by describing their underlying beliefs and values regarding their careers. As a result, three distinct themes emerged: (1) dichotomous gender roles, (2) the perpetuation of gender stereotypes, and (3) positive perceptions and beliefs in gender equality and women’s abilities. The findings illuminated that despite having a distinctly positive perception of themselves and their abilities, women internalize prescribed gender stereotypes in the agricultural industry in Thailand. Such views appeared to impede the participants’ sense of empowerment in the agricultural workforce. Moving forward, we recommend that extension professionals design programming to empower women in Thailand by tailoring professional development opportunities based on regional differences in regard to gendered customs, norms, and traditions. Further, additional research should be conducted to distill the specific topic areas that could be used to stir critical reflection and action among women in Thailand’s agricultural sector. Keywords: agricultural development; gender equality; Thailand; women empowerment