Erin Kamler

Erin Kamler is an American writer, composer, and academic researcher who works at the intersection of feminist social justice and the arts.

Biography

A native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Kamler earned her PhD from USC's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, where her research focused on the trafficking and migration of women in Thailand and Burma, and using the arts as a tool for political communication and human rights witnessing. Conversationally fluent in the Thai language, Erin holds a master's in Public Diplomacy from USC School of International Relations, a master's in communication arts from USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and a Bachelors in music composition from Sarah Lawrence College.
Recent projects as a composer and playwright include Foreign, Andaman, Land of Smiles, Divorce! The Musical, and Runway 69. Her work has been staged at New Dramatists, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, The Public Theater, Playwrights Horizons, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and she is a three-time winner of Stephen Sondheim's Young Playwright's Festival and University of Michigan's Hopwood Award. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America.
As an academic researcher and gender equality consultant, Kamler has worked in Southeast Asia with numerous international development organizations. Her book,, unites creative practice with critical inquiry into international development policy. Between 2014 and 2025, Kamler served as Affiliated Researcher at Chiang Mai University and as Director, Partner Programs, Asia at and Visiting Professor of Arts and Humanities at Minerva University. She is currently working on, a series of musicals dramatizing women’s rights struggles in Southeast Asia in the years leading up to Myanmar’s military coup.
As a singer, songwriter, and recording artist, Kamler is the creator of numerous albums including her most recent release Refuge.

Recording and Performance

As a singer, songwriter, and recording artist, Erin has performed internationally with her original albums: The Street Is Not A Woman, Mantra Girl: Truth, Mantra Girl: Trinity and Kundalini Yoga Instructional DVD's. Her latest release,, brings together Buddhist and Jewish mantras with original songs of love and grief. The 12-track album features Erin's piano and vocal performances, as well as instrumental performances by musicians from Thailand, Nepal, and New York. String arrangements are by multi-instrumentalist and orchestrator, with artwork by photographer
REFUGE includes the following songs:

Rivers
Blessing
Temple
Om Tare
Festival
Namo Tassa
Full Moon Mantra
Lotus
Rest
Fire
We Don’t Own
Hine Ma Tov

Academic projects

Kamler, E. Jirattikorn, A., Sutsassanamarlee, D., and Sincharoen, K.. . International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship.
Krause, J., & Kamler, E.. . Global Studies Quarterly, 2, ksac005.
National identity, the shan, and child trafficking in northern Thailand: The case of D.E.P.D.C.. Shan and Beyond: essays on Shan Archaeology, Anthropology, History, Politics, Religion, and Human Rights. Bangkok: Institute of Asian Studies, Chulalongkorn University.

Musicals

Land of Smiles: Book, Music and Lyrics by Erin Kamler Divorce: The Musical: Book, Music and Lyrics by Erin KamlerRunway 69: Winner of the 2008 Frederick Loewe Award, presented by New Dramatists.

Awards

Los Angeles Ovation Award (2009), Backstage Garland Awards,
Frederick Loewe Award,
Stephen Sondheim's Young Playwright's Award,
University of Michigan Hopwood Award.