Inya Institute Winter 2022 Newsletter

The Inya Institute

Quarterly Newsletter Winter 2022

W

e wish you all the best for 2022! With this new year comes new hope, even though uncertainty in Myanmar remains extremely high and the past three months have seen further tragic loss of life.

Our commitment to supporting Myanmar’s civil society will be demonstrated once again very soon with a workshop series on the “Use and Practice of Research in the Project Cycle,” designed to strengthen CSO and NGO research capacity as part of their overall programming. Our initiative which builds upon more than six years of training experience is informed by a needs assessment conducted last November that helped us identify the priorities of these organizations. The initiative will be led by Pyai Nyein Kyaw, a researcher and training facilitator, who will be assisted by interns. As job opportunities have dramatically dwindled and our capacity to offer full-time employment is limited, we are trying our best to offer students who graduated prior to 2021 or those who are currently boycotting government universities some internship opportunities that will help them pursue personal and professional goals.

Besides the assistance offered on the workshop series mentioned above, we will soon also offer the four following internship options: assistance in the visibility of our library resources through Myanmar language book presentations on our Facebook page; In this issue

Reflections from the Field 3 Book Review 5 Interview 8 Insights 11 Recent Activities at Inya 13 Current & Upcoming Activities at Inya 14 Upcoming Events in the U.S. and beyond 15 New Books on Myanmar 16

www.inyainstitute.org

assistance to the team in developing a collaborative digital story-telling project; assistance in the last phase of a project on Yangon’s current affairs; and assistance in the planning and running of a conference scheduled in mid 2022. Although limited in time and constrained by the current situation, these internships will, we hope, help these graduates further develop their analytical and critical thinking skills and strengthen their confidence.

At our office, the team is bidding farewell to Lakang Htoi Nan, our administrative assistant for the past two years, who showed great skill in carrying out all the responsibilities she assumed while also being eager to strengthen her research capacity. A graduate from the Myitkyina-based Naushawng Community School, she contributed the piece “Learning from Resilient Post-secondary Education and Training Organizations in Kachin State” featured in this newsletter. Ah Htoi is now back in Myitkyina due to safety concerns. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors. Her successor, Chai Mana, a native from Kanpetlet township, has just started working with us last week: we welcome him warmly!

The Inya Institute Team in Yangon

Of lockdowns, the coup and the benefits of a long-term view…by Lisa Brooten Dr. Nan Hlaing’s A National History of the Karens reviewed by Saw Eh Htoo Three Kachin Post-secondary Education and Training Organizations on the current crisis Mapping Burmese-American Communities in the U.S. by Stephanie Naing

Address in Myanmar: 50 B-1 Thirimingala Street (2) 8th Ward Kamayut Township Yangon, Myanmar +95(0)17537884

Library: It currently holds a little more than 800 titles and offers free access to scholarly works on Myanmar Studies published overseas that are not readily available in the country. It also has original works published on neighboring Southeast Asian countries and textbooks on various fields of social sciences and humanities. Optic fiber wifi connection is also provided without any charge.

Address in the U.S.: c/o Center for Burma Studies 101 Pottenger House 520 College View Court Northern Illinois University DeKalb, IL 60115 USA +1 815-753-0512

Library digital catalog: Access here.

Working hours: 9am-5pm (Mon-Fri)

Director of Publication: Dr. François Tainturier

Digital archive: It features objects, manuscripts, books, paintings, and photographs identified, preserved, and digitized during research projects undertaken by the institute throughout Myanmar and its diverse states and regions. The collections featured here reflect the country’s religious, cultural, and ethnic diversity and the various time periods covered by the institute’s projects developed in collaboration with local partners.

Layout and Formatting: Zin Nyi Nyi Zaw Interview and Translation: Lakang Htoi Nan U.S. Liaison Officer: Carmin Berchiolly Contact us: contact@inyainstitute.org Visit us on Facebook: facebook.com/inyainstitute.org

Digital archive: Access here.

The Inya Institute is a member center of the Council of American Research Centers (CAORC).

It is funded by the U.S. Department of Education under Title VI of the Higher Education Act (2020-2024).

Academic Board

Board of Directors

Maxime Boutry, Centre Asie du Sud-Est, Paris Jane Ferguson, Australian National University Lilian Handlin, Harvard University Bod Hudson, Sydney University Mathias Jenny, University of Zurich Ni Ni Khet, University Paris 1-Sorbonne Alexey Kirichenko, Moscow State University Christian Lammerts, Rutgers University Mandy Sadan, University of Warwick San San Hnin Tun, INALCO, Paris Juliane Schober, Arizona State University Nicola Tannebaum, Lehigh University (retd) Alicia Turner, York University, Toronto U Thaw Kaung, Yangon Universities’ Central Library (retd)

President: Catherine Raymond (Northern Illinois University) Treasurer: Alicia Turner (York University, Toronto) Secretary: François Tainturier Jane Ferguson (Australian National University) Lilian Handlin (Harvard University) Nicola Tannenbaum (Lehigh University)(retd) Thamora Fishel (Cornell University)

Ref lec tions f rom the f ield Of lockdowns, the coup and the benefits of a long-term view…

by Lisa Brooten Lisa Brooten, Associate Professor, College of Arts and Media, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, reflects on her 2021 Fulbright-ASEAN Scholarship. The institute was supposed to host her during the Myanmar leg of her time in Southeast Asia.

This, of course, didn’t happen. Yet, clearly, her time in Thailand was not wasted!

Since early evening, I have been glued to the computer, watching live updates about the coup that just occurred in Myanmar.

I have been watching Facebook for updates, and messaging back and forth with xxxx [a Burmese journalist friend], who is in touch with friends and colleagues... He tells me that journalists are reporting from the official announcement, and are holding back their anger from their Facebook feeds. Other friends have now warned Myanmar civil society, journalists and others to scrub or take down their Facebook pages, which could leave them vulnerable under a coup government. - research notes, February 1, 2021

research. Beyond donating to the CDM and independent Myanmar media, I struggled to see how my skills and interests could be useful. Then I realized it might be valuable for researchers, journalists, policymakers, donors and others to have a Facebook page that aggregates information on Myanmar media in English. So together with Jane McElhone, one of my co-editors from Myanmar Media in Transition (2019, ISEAS), which overviews the media landscape prior to the coup, we launched a new Facebook page, Myanmar Media in Transition 2021 (as of January 1, renamed Myanmar Media in Transition 2022) (https://www.facebook.com/Myanmar-Mediain-Transition-2022-105546281608409). We re-post daily news articles, investigative reports, seminar announcements, links to Even before I left the US for Bangkok in late February 2021 recorded materials, etc -- anything having to do with Myanto begin fieldwork supported by a six-month ASEAN Fulbright mar media. The page has gained over 600 followers since its research grant, I knew things would not be going as planned. launch in March 2021, 50% in Myanmar and 11% in Thailand.

The original plan was As time has passed, to conduct research in other ways to help have Thailand, Myanmar and emerged for those of us the Philippines, but the in academia, such as the Myanmar leg, planned Virtual Federal Unifor a few months into versity1, where teachers the trip, would be put can offer asynchronous on hold because of the classes for Burmese stucoup. There was also a dents whose educational question about getting opportunities have been into the Philippines, as cut short by the coup. the COVID-19 panWhile the Myanmar demic was raging and Media in Transition the University of the 2021/2022 Facebook Philippines, my host page and work on the institution, was operatVirtual Federal Univering virtually and had sity could be done from no immediate plans anywhere in the world, CNN coverage of the February 1 coup to open for in-person and despite the fact that learning. All I knew I ended up in lockdown was that it seemed I for a significant portion could at least get into Thailand and do some research there. As of the 8 months I spent in Thailand, actually being there was it turns out, that’s as far as I got. Not what I expected, but then nevertheless invaluable. Once out of quarantine in early March, that was everyone’s experience of 2021, right? Not at all what we I was able to travel to offices, attend events and meet and expected… interview people in person for about two months, primarily for During the two weeks of quarantine, I watched with dismay and as the Myanmar military cracked down brutally on peaceful anti-coup demonstrators, unsure what to do that 1 See https://burmastudiesgroup.wordpress.com/collaborations-and-resources/ could be more immediately, tangibly useful than academic 3

the Thailand portion of my research. Then COVID infections spread, Bangkok’s restrictions increased, and I was unable to get my first vaccine shot until July (I had left the US before eligible to be vaccinated), so I ended up getting stuck in Bangkok under strict lockdown. Since my sabbatical was for the calendar year 2021, I decided to wait out the lockdowns, focus on writing and conducting interviews via zoom, and try to do more actual fieldwork later in the year.2 The lockdowns themselves, and the visible deterioration of the Bangkok neighborhood where I was staying, as shops shuttered, many permanently, was painful evidence of the pandemic’s toll. Being in Bangkok also made me painfully aware of my privilege during these strained times, as I watched my Thai and Burmese neighbors and friends struggle to get vaccines while back at home a large percentage of my fellow citizens were refusing the vaccine, available to them for free on a walk-in basis in many drugstores.

Meanwhile, those in Myanmar were struggling to save their lives from bullets, beatings, and other horrors, let alone being able to give much thought to the pandemic. Although I couldn’t travel to Myanmar, I was able to meet many people in Bangkok and Chiang Mai who had fled the country and were either relocating to Thailand or moving on to other countries. Speaking to old friends was especially heartbreaking. Several had fled the country back in 1988 and spent decades in exile before returning during the decade of opening that began in 2011, when they had finally been able to establish legal media and civil society organizations inside the country. Now we are all much older, and they have found themselves in exile again, this time leaving behind entire flats, cars and the lives they had built back home over the past decade. My Karen friends and others living in the rural areas, while initially less affected by the coup, have more recently watched as their communities have been bombed or attacked, thousands fleeing from their homes and forced to live precariously as IDPs. The sadness in their eyes and voices -- of so many people I was able to meet with -- was palpable, even via Zoom, and leaves me still at a loss for words.

I heard time and again from Burmese journalists and civil society staff that they felt they were now back to square one, as though the previous decade had been in vain. I challenged them gently on this idea whenever I could, pointing out how their work over so many years was invaluable. As I watch the

aftermath of the coup attempt and the strength of the resistance, streamed live or tweeted in near real-time, and as I spent time with new and old Burmese friends during my time in Thailand, what I see is a nation of peoples reimagining itself, determined and united as never before during the three decades I have been involved with Myanmar. This is aided immensely -- or arguably even made possible -- because of recent widespread access to social media, but media are merely tools, tools that can also be used for ill, as made clear by the Myanmar military’s manipulation of Facebook during the Rohingya crisis.3 The strength of Myanmar’s resistance goes well beyond any technological development, and depends on the foundation built by the hard work of journalists and civil society groups over the decades since 1988, on which today’s protestors stand.

The independent media built during those decades, for example, have continued to publish vital news in the aftermath of the coup. The various civil society groups and networks built and strengthened during those decades provide the foundation on which so much of the CDM and the various mutual support networks that have emerged since the coup have been able to find strong footing. In another example, the work of Myanmar’s digital rights community prior to the coup (especially in countering anti-Rohingya hate speech) to push against and develop a relationship with Facebook, and after the coup to hold them accountable, no doubt contributed to Facebook’s various decisions to remove the pages of the Myanmar military and its affiliates from their platform.

It is people themselves who drive change, and the kinds of discussions I have observed and participated in, the ongoing debates, the general push for and acceptance of the notion of federalism, and the widespread recognition of minority rights and suffering all bode well for Myanmar in the long run. Yet even these discussions would not be occurring as openly as they are today were it not for the efforts of independent media and civil society groups over decades to push for a culture of open discussion and debate. Myanmar culture has undergone immense changes in the past decade, changes the generals seem oblivious to and are ill-equipped to understand, let alone counteract. It is the Myanmar people, in the end, who will determine the course of the country’s future, and my year of sabbatical research leaves me with more faith than ever that their end-goal is not so far off.

2

In the end, once I had gotten my second vaccine shot, I was able to go to Chiang Mai for a very active month of research before I had to leave Thailand and journey home.

3 Facebook. (2018, August 28/October 15/December 18). Removing Myanmar military officials from Facebook https://about.fb.com/news/2018/08/removingmyanmar-officials/; Mozur, Paul. (2018, October 15). A Genocide Incited on Facebook, With Posts From Myanmar’s Military. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/15/ technology/myanmar-facebook-genocide.html

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B ook re v ie w D r. Nan Hlaing’s A Nat iona l Histor y of t he Karens Re v ie wed by S aw Eh Htoo Published in 2019 by the Karen Studies Center, Dr. Nan Hlaing’s 1,283-page A National History of the Karens is an important contribution to the historiography of one of Myanmar’s main ethnic groups. It follows a tradition started by prominent Karen scholars, such as San C. Poe and Saw Aung Hla in the first part of the twentieth century, of building a common narrative that various Karen groups might want to share as a nation. Written and published during the democratic experiment of the NLD government, the question is: Does Dr. Nan Hlaing’s volume align itself with the works of his two predecessors? We asked Saw Eh Htoo to review the book and tell us more about how the volume adds to the existing scholarship; his review certainly helps us put in a larger perspective the tragic events currently happening in Karen State and at the Thai-Myanmar border.

Dr. Nan Hlaing’s book is one of the few that documents displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees residing along the Thai Karen’s history. His book is supported by a substantial literature border, have conflicting political narratives about Karen history, review of works on Karen hisbut Dr. Nan Hlaing does not mentory by local and foreign scholars, tion about them. Yet, most of the extending from the colonial period voices included in Dr. Nan Hlaing’s to the present day. The thorough book and resulting from his field documentation on Karen historical work offer a good representation publications written in Burmese, of modern Karen people. The book field work, and interviews are the lays the ground for further research book’s main strengths. on Karen communities and their The author used records from place in Myanmar.

Christian missionaries and colonial scholars, documents from the postIn Dr. Nan Hlaing’s book, there independence Burma government, are three glaring flaws. There is a documents from the ‘Burmese dearth of historiography, a shortWay to Socialism’ time, documents age of literature written in Karen, from the ‘State Peace and Developand an overreliance on government ment Council’ period, and current materials. There is also a lack of political materials for his docugender voices. mentation. These historical records The historiographical approach portray the Karen socio-economic emphasized by the author is that position at different times and in of the migration perspective. This diverse situations. is one of the more difficult ways The book provides updated to present historical facts. Official viewpoints for field work and Myanmar’s ancient history has interviews that are in line with the remained obsessed with the issue of pre-coup peace process and sociowho were the first migrants to settle economic changes. The author in the region. This approach has has indeed collected the voices of come to serve narratives portraying modern politicians, academicians, the origin groups as the custodians knowledgeable people, retired of the territory while later migrant Cover page of A National History of the Karens government officials, opposition groups were denied such rights; groups, and EAOs leaders through and it has also, for instance, supin-depth interviews and data colported Ne Win’s inclusionary/exlection. clusionary model of Myanmar society in which only eight main As Karen communities have spread from the lower half of ethnic groups were officially recognized.

Myanmar, their cultural practices and dialects have evolved The majority of the sources and papers cited in this book and adapted to their new settings in the migration process. On come from the archives and records of the state government. In the other hand, some Karen diaspora groups, such as internally the case of Myanmar’s successive governments, its documents 5

and records are largely prioritizing the state’s policies and their implementation. The range of views held by Karens is not easily grasped by the author who, in any case, may not be willing to accept them. As a result, using these government sources can only reveal a state-centered view of the Karen society, not one that would reflect its true diversity.

Historiography has evolved considerably throughout this period of globalization. In order to achieve peace and harmony in society, it is critical to include gender voices. Male dominant ideology and gender bias are still rising in the Myanmar society, as seen by the lack of female voices. The dominant male perspective has pushed Myanmar into war and long-term conflict throughout its history. As a result, this book with its lack of female voices may not be referenced among those scholarly works that will be instrumental in helping shape a long-term peace.

Dr. Nan Hlaing, in my opinion, is unable to present the Karen identity in its entirety as his emphasis in the book is actually on the notion of “Union”. His historiographical approach is based on at least three points of view: Burmanization, Unification, and the ruler’s point of view.

The majority of his views and presentations are based on Burmanization (or) Burmese centralized ideology. To recount the history of the Karens, the author employs Burmese authorities’ views as the axiome of his narrative. For the author, Karen history is inextricably linked to Burmese civilization; however it should be recognized that the Karens have a distinct worldview from the Burmese society. The ancient Karen poems and prose, which were primarily passed down orally, demonstrate that the Karens have a distinct worldview and viewpoints on outsiders, including grievances against Myanmar and Mon Kings as expressed in Karen poems, called “Htar” in Karen language. But Dr. Nan Hlaing ignores this important aspect of Karen history as his emphasis is on the origins of Karen and historical developments from the mid nineteenth century during the colonial period. More generally, the author ignores the plight of Karen oppressed communities.

In my view, the author is an advocate for “unification.”

Despite the fact that federalism is referenced in his book, his writing seems to promote “unification.” The majority of Burmese and their leaders share this unification political viewpoint.

For future peace building efforts in Myanmar, this will remain a problematic view. In the national psyche, the Burmese majority sees itself and is often portrayed as the state’s custodian in the unification process; ethnic minorities are simply seen as state’s subjects. Myanmar’s unification process is a state and oppression apparatus in and of itself.

The majority of Dr. Nan Hlaing’s narrative is told from the perspective of the state and state actors. Despite the fact that he uses various interviews and records as sources, his writing cannot capture the spirit of “Kareness.” Karen refugees, internally displaced persons, and marginalized Karen communities exist but, in this book, the author does not incorporate their voices.

He simply stands there, looking out from the ruler’s position, and views the world through Karen’s eyes. Karen’s status on the ground has been documented in numerous reports and documents. These findings cannot be ignored if the framework of Karen society in the twenty-first century is to be understood.

Two Karen men depicted in a Northern Thailand temple (Source: A National History of the Karens, p.184)

This book contains a wealth of information regarding Karen culture and political development. Readers who are not Karen may learn at least three essential lessons from this book: 1.

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how the Karen people were portrayed by colonial masters and cohesion and solidarity, with the state creating the narrative for missionaries; 2. how the Burmese majority views the Karens in Burmese citizens. On the other side, it serves as a vehicle for Myanmar; and 3. why the Karens have not disarmed. governmental propaganda. The ultimate goal of the lengthy civil Karens had no written documents until the arrival of Chrisconflict may not be unification, but rather unity in difference tian missionaries in Burma. The Karen writing script and alpha- and federalism. bet were created by these missionaries for the translation into Dr. Nan Hlaing’s book contributes to a greater understanding S’gaw language of the Christian bible. They also trained memof the relationships between the Karen leadership and Myanmar bers of the Karen community to be part of their administration. authorities as it features views from leaders involved in Karen For the Karen people, this colonial presence was a watershed peace efforts (currently stalled). It mirrors the Karen leaders’ moment. Karen leaders like Dr. San C. Po formulated the idea real-world concerns and attitudes on future coexistence. of a Karen nation. This emerging Karen nationalism was in part Karen leadership’s and the central government’s respective formulated in response to the domination of Burmese rulers political visions were fraught by years of turmoil and civil war. until the British Annexation of the entire country in 1886. This There had never been a peaceful resolution between those two development challenges the dichotomy that sees the Karens parties. However, in 2010, new political leaders from the central either as “wild” or “civilized”, as seen by Burmese people during government launched a peace process, which proved one of the colonial times. most significant peace initiatives in history. It is clear that variThe second aspect of this book is the ous leaders became peace players in order portrayal of the Karens in Myanmar by the to demand future peace. state and the Burmese leaders. The Karens Karen people are not one-size-fits-all and have been regarded as a minority populacome in a variety of linguistic varieties. As tion, separatists (even rebels), and colonial a result, a single story could not adequately stooges by the Burmese majority and its express and include Karen’s entire identity. leaders, particularly General Aung San and Multi-Karen narratives should be used to other military generals. write Karen history. Karen historiography The Karen peace process is covered in should also pay attention to complaints the book by the author which is a welcome and liberation narratives, in addition to addition as there is currently no literature cultural evolution and adaptation. Civil war, that links Karen history to the peace prorefugees, internally displaced persons, and cess. This book delves into the Karen peace suppressed stories are all aspects of modern process and the opinions of several Karen Karen history that the development of a leaders and highlights Karen attempts to pseudo-history based sorely on governpromote peace throughout the country’s mental sources and policy will necessarily history. It is also an important source to exclude. keep in this book.

The majority of the sources used in Dr. Since the February 1 military takeover, Ms. Ba Maung Chain, Nan Hlaing’s book have aided Karen politithe significance of Dr. Nan Hlaing’s book appointed Karen State Minister in 1952 (Source: A National History of the Karens, p.351) has remained unchanged. I assumed that cal progress and negotiations with successive Myanmar administrations. This data this book backed the policy of unity, which originated from Myanmar governments, is one of military dictators’ policies. Military which shifted it before releasing it. The publication of this data officers are the key implementers of the unification policy. They is to increase the Myanmar government’s political bargaining implement national unity and one-nation programs, which, strength. at all costs, include accommodation, assimilation, and the development of a new narrative in which the military played a In my opinion, Dr. Nan Hlaing’s collection of historical critical role in nation-building. resources is crucial for Karens in Myanmar. Even though the sources he uses do not cover the entire spectrum of Karen perspectives, his book highlights important works by non-partisan Saw Eh Htoo is a doctoral candidate at Payap University in Thaihistorians and writers, both foreigners and non-Karen scholars. land, where he studies peacebuilding and writes a dissertation on Historians and researchers can conduct more research using Myanmar Nationalism under the Ne Win period. He is currently Dr. Nan Hlaing’s book. Because the contents of the book depict based in Myanmar, where he is engaged in peacebuilding efforts.

Karen and Burmese unification, it can aid future peacebuilding He has received training in religion, cultural anthropology, and efforts between Bamars and Karens. peace building. For the past many years, he has worked as a His study of data based on sources mostly published by consultant in the fields of social development, conflict resolution, previous and current administrations resulted in national conflict management, and peacebuilding.

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Inter v ie w L ear ning f rom Resilient Post-s econdar y E ducation and Training O rganiz ations in Kachin State While government universities across Myanmar are struggling to resume classes and most students continue their boycott of the public education system, post-secondary education and training organizations in Kachin State have shown a great commitment to youth development and capacity to adapt under the very challenging circumstances of the past two years. We asked three of these organizations to share their experiences.

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions!

Management System (Model Platform & Zoom) very well. At first, students didn’t want to study online. They believed that the online system would be for a temporary use and covid would disappear within six months. These views influenced their studies so much that they couldn’t concentrate well. I was so upset and wanted to cry when the students were not paying attention to their studies. Likewise, it was so hard to train the teachers about online learning tools. I said to them: “if we don’t know this online system and we don’t want to learn it, who will teach to our students and how can we provide them with some education in the future because we don’t know when we can get back to in person class?” Later, they changed their attitude about learning online tools and eventually accepted this new teaching method. Here is also one main challenge for the students: in the past, we could offer programs to students from distant locations. But now, this is limited to those who live in an area where internet is available. Even if students have an internet access, they may still face challenges with their devices (mobile phone & computer) because we use Moodle platform & Zoom that do not working with some devices made in China. We are not able to support the purchase of digital devices but we can partly support internet fees. At first we got 91 diploma students for current batch but around 20 from the Chiphwe area and others had to dropout from the school.”

Q. What are the main challenges your organization has been facing in this new era dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the military coup?

A. Ningshawng Social Institute (Myitkyina): “The main challenge is that out of 40 staff no more than 5 persons are able to come to the office at the same time because of the State Administration Council’s (SAC) public health restrictions so our staff comes to the office alternatively. Similarly, we will have to stop in-person teaching as most of our programs are DaySchool Program and a lot of students have to go in and out of the school and office campus daily. In addition to these restrictions, students in Kachin State are still not well-familiar with the internet and can’t be taught through online. Lastly, the main effects of the COVID and Coup is that we can’t pay full salary but basic salary to all the staff.”

A. English For Professional Purpose (Mogaung): “Because of the coup, parents made phone calls to us out of concern for their children and we have tried to explain not to worry too much. The school is located next to the main road on a broad and prominent piece of land and military junta’s cars are always passing through. We turn off the electricity of the entire campus at night. And sometimes, we put our National Registration Card (NRC) and money in our pocket and bag and get ready to leave in case soldiers would enter the school campus unexpectedly.

The students can’t concentrate on their studies and are afraid of military soldiers. We have security concerns about torture, cruel and degrading treatment or punishment. We also have security concerns for our teachers who have to come to school from far away with some of our teachers being also afraid to stay at school. We also have money difficulties. Students’ parents have difficulties running their business due to the coup and students can’t pay 100% of the school fees. It causes difficulties for our operations as we don’t have any donors or partners.”

A. Naushawng Community School (Myitkyina): “The main challenge is security concerns. We can say openly that we are offering development studies and educational studies programs, however, we are afraid to talk about our political studies program. Second, we have faced technical difficulties because of the change from in-person class to online system. Last year, we felt hopeless and couldn’t do much for two months. But now, we know how to operate an online class after learning from technical experts. We tried and practiced again and again using this online learning system. Now, we can use a Learning

Q. What are the strategies you are developing to overcome these challenges?

A. Ningshawng Social Institute: “There will be two main parts: office and class settings. For the office setting, we have arranged office settings (only 5 staff have to come to the office and the rest of the staff are working from home). We conduct zoom meetings if there are a lot of participants. If there are only a few, we have an in-person meeting at the office. For the class setting, we accept less students (from 40 to 30) and we developed the teaching system into two systems. The first one is an online system with students willing to learn through the internet. The second one is both an online and in-person system.”

A. English For Professional Purpose: “Generally, night study time is 6:00-10:00pm. Sometimes, the students study with a flashlight under the blanket if they hear news related to the military junta around the school area. We choose one of our teachers to do the talking if the military soldiers enter the school campus. If the situation can’t be handled, we call local or regional church leaders.”

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A. Naushawng Community School: “We tried to change our attitude first to overcome those challenges. Then, we find a solution for the online learning system by researching other people’s methods and the kind of tools & techniques they use to handle these difficulties. We have to upgrade our technical skills and adapt not only ourselves but also encourage students and teachers to do the same. We also requested help from our donor organization to share necessary techniques and tools with us.”

this field. On the other hand, there is a double/triple increase in the number of students in development studies.”

Q. Has your organization adapted its programs and curriculum to the new situation?

A. Ningshawng Social Institute: “There are four ongoing efforts in the new curriculum development.

(1) Revise and modify the Basic Education Program’ curriculum; (2) Develop a new curriculum on secondary education for future training; (3) Add a new civic education program in the Higher Education Program in response to inquiries from students and their parents with subjects covering human rights,

Q. Has the military coup impacted your intake of new students and can you give us a brief breakdown of the background of your new students?

A. Ningshawng Social Institute: “Yes, the military coup totally impacted our intake of new students. For the Higher Education Program, we stopped the course completely as we got just a few applicants and there are a lot of risks and security concerns for the students. On the other hand, we got double the number of applicants than usual for the Teacher Training School (TTS-Primary & Secondary) Program. The students’ backgrounds are: (1) students who just passed the matriculation exam; (2) students willing to contribute to a better Kachin community’s education; (3) students who are unemployed; and (4) students who are recommended by a Kachin religious committee.”

A. English For Professional Purpose: “We only accept forty students for this year because we don’t have enough space in the dormitory and the risk associated with the COVID pandemic and other diseases are too high. The coup hasn’t impacted our intake of new students. We got as many students as usual. Some students attend the school after having earned money at the China-border. Other students are elected by local religious committees to become teachers in the Myu Sha School system (Kachin education school). The rest of the students are those who just passed the matriculation exam.”

A. Naushawng Community School: “I can say that generally, the number of students increased after the covid outbreak and coup. Earlier, we only accepted 70 to 80 students due to the limited space of our campus dormitory. But now, we are running the program online and we don’t need to worry about space. So, we decided to accept over 100 students from 2020.

Also, the number of applicants increased dramatically due to the covid and coup. Applicants are either students who can’t continue their education and have no opportunity to study outside or employees who lost their job. The students’ background is very diverse. In the postgraduate program, most students are working in an organization. They are not only working but also studying to fulfill their education. Others students are recommended by an organization so that students upgrade their skills.

Most students are those who can’t and don’t want to attend government university due to coup and covid. We don’t have a significant number of government staff in our school. To be honest, there is significantly less students in political studies due to security concerns and the scarcity of job opportunities in

Naushawng Community School (Source: Facebook)

international law, federal democracy, etc…; (4) Plan a new General Education Development (GED) program for the Grade-6 to Grade-10 students who have no willingness to attend government schools.”

A. English For Professional Purpose: “No, we haven’t yet adapted any new curriculum for this batch but plan to add two new programs in 2023 (Liberal Arts Program and Agricultural Program).”

A. Naushawng Community School: “No, we haven’t added a new curriculum and program right now but will reassess this at the end of the academic year.”

Q. How would you say the coup has influenced Kachin students’ interest in current affairs? Have they become more interested or less interested?

A. Ningshawng Social Institute: “A lot of youth are a little hopeless and have changed their interests. They don’t want to invest in education but do something else like find some work.

Before the coup and covid, we generally got more applicants than our acceptable limit but now there are only 10 applicants for the class size of 30 students, for example. Even though par9

ents want their children to invest in education, children don’t Q. What lessons do you think Kachin educational organizations seem to show a high interest in education anymore.” will learn from the coup and its consequences for the future of the A. English For Professional Purpose: “Some of my students Kachin State’s education system? who graduated from ILAS (Mai Ja Yang School) [in Laiza in A. Ningshawng Social Institute: “For me, I learnt two KIO-controlled area] went back to the KIA/KIO area during the personal lessons. The first one is that every organization should months following the coup to serve their have an emergency plan. The second one nation. However, I am not quite satisfied is that every organization should have a with youths from Mogaung Township Foundation Fund for emergency cases. regarding their attitude and performance For the future of the country’s educaabout the current affairs: 85% of them tion system, we have to learn to adapt to remain the same as earlier. It’s my point changes: for example, we should try to be of view, that we should strongly support more familiar with the internet and not students who left government schools. just focus on in-person teaching system Due to the current affairs, many teenagers because today’s world is like a global got married earlier than usual. We worry village. a lot for this generation who didn’t finish A. English For Professional Purpose: school and are unemployed. There is a “From the Covid-19 pandemic, I have saying: “Even if we were left behind ecolearned a lot of lessons. First is the health nomically, we can follow; but if we were issue. We have to teach hygiene knowlleft behind in education for two years, edge to our children. We have to include we were automatically left behind for this topic in the school curriculum to be one century.” From an educator’s point of able to take care of ourselves and those view, I feel like there is no hope because a around us for the well-being of the comlot of young people are living hopelessly munity. And also, we have to give awareand have lost interest in everything. We ness and knowledge to the parents about Ningshwang Social Institute can’t imagine how terrible our future will hygiene so that they apply it at home. We (Source: Facebook) be if we can’t offer the foundation and have to change our behaviour completely higher education to our students. Another to have a healthy life. Second is that we related problem is that people who make should broaden our programs to ‘parentdecision as policy makers don’t want to take any risk and leave ing education’. This is very important to raise our children who their their seats for younger people. Most people in these posimay, one day, become the leaders of our nation. From the coup, tions claim to be there in the name of justice but in reality they I have learnt a lot of things. But some are useless lessons. First, are there for their own sake and prosperity. Therefore, youth is I see that we have to improve our social skills: as an example, we becoming helpless and lose their way. We have a responsibility have to give a smiling face even if we hate SAC representatives to respect and support the youth not to deviate from their way and soldiers and don’t want to speak to them when they enter by providing education and job opportunities to them.” our campus. The reason is that nobody will help us if we have A. Naushawng Community School: “We offer two intakes faced trouble with them. we don’t want to stop opening our for the pre-diploma program; the first intake starts in Januschool under any circumstances. Second, we should apply the ary and the second in July. In January 2021, we started the first method of saving money in order to be able to survive under intake of pre-diploma program but the military coup again difficult circumstances like a coup. Moreover, we are totally in February and we suspended the class for about ten days aware of the lack of security in our society and we must be when the junta shut down the internet. During those days, our aware not to travel alone and stay alert at all times whether at students were so active in participating in the protests. Meanhome or outside.” while they were losing interest in education. They requested to A. Naushawng Community School: “We learnt a lot from suspend the class because they couldn’t focus on their lessons the coup. First, we need to build strong leadership skills and and they wanted to get involved in train our students to make decision the public movements. As school quickly and fairly under difficult administrators, it was hard for us circumstances just as it happened to channel the students’ emotions soon after the coup. Also, we need about the current situation. In line to improve a lot in our commuwith our policy, we reaffirmed to nication and socialization skills them that we would continue the within the organization. Furtherprogram and the teachings. About more, we have learned to be much 10 students were droped out from more flexible because we can’t fix the school and went to the KIA schedule and plan exactly in this control area to take training with situation. When nothing is happenarmed groups. But now the politiing as we had planned, we need to cal situation is a bit quiet and it has calm down, make decision making also become dangerous to protest. rapidly and change our plan in Therefore, students are also aware order to achieve our work.” that they need to concentrate again Naushawng Community School on their studies. Now, we can run (Source: Facebook) the program as expected.”

Thank you all for your answers!

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Insig hts Mapping Burmese-American communities in the U.S.

by Stephanie Naing The ongoing political crisis in Myanmar has reverberated across the globe and led to the high mobilization of Myanmar communities living abroad. Among them, the Myanmar/Burmese-American communities are particularly active. Here are the preliminary findings from a survey conducted by Stephanie Naing, during her remote internship at the institute in June-July 2021.

After analyzing sources ranging from census data to newspaper articles, Stephanie produced a map, spreadsheets, and overall report revealing the wide geographical spread of Burmese-origin people across America and the layers of diversity present among their communities. Additionally, she located NGOs, religious establishments, informal Facebook groups, and college clubs that serve members of these communities and she interviewed representatives from some of these organizations. Stephanie hopes her work will serve as a point of reference for much needed future research on the Myanmar diaspora in the U.S. and beyond. hingya attend. Admission to the college is given upon completion of the program. However, Mr. Trumbull also discussed the low attainment rates of Rohingya in the program and in other educational outlets as well. He highlighted how many refugee parents, who often never received an education themselves, were unfamiliar with the routine nature of committing to education. For many, the priority is to get a job that will produce money immediately. Pursuing higher education may feel like a waste of time and resources that could be spent working a job.

On the other hand, in areas like New York City and San Francisco Burmese people are more assimilated into their broader surroundings, including the education system. Ms. Mon described in her interview that the priority of Burmese parents in the Bay Area is to send their children to the best school regardless of whether there are other Burmese students in it. According to her, the general expectation of parents there is that their children at least get a bachelor’s degree.

Though I was not able to find many community colleges that have high Burma-origin student populations, I was able to track several colleges across the country with Burma/Myanmar student organizations. These organizations vary in size and some have been more active than others. Most of these clubs primarily engage in activities to celebrate and practice the culture of Burma. Many clubs that have been active in 2021 have released statements condemning the military coup.

(Continued from Part 1 featured in the Fall 2021 Newsletter)

Community Organizations The community-based organizations I found that have been formed to serve Burma-origin communities can be categorized into three main types: religious, non-profit, and informal. The main religious organizations I found are churches, temples, and mosques. Of the three, churches were most abundant and easily accessible through online research. In many small cities and towns where refugees are resettled, Christian Burma-origin communities are often given religious support by existing churches typically run by White American Christians. Over time, they may gather the resources to create their own space for worship.

Non-profit organizations provide services to aid the migrant community. This includes language interpretation, educational support, and guidance on how to apply for government benefits.

Some non-profit organizations are led by non-Burmese people while others have been spearheaded by pioneering migrants who want to help later arrivals to their community.

Lastly, there are informal groups that lack official recognition or structure but still provide Burma-origin people a sense of community. To be specific, many communities have Facebook groups that anyone can join. In these Facebook groups, members share information about jobs, advertise products/food they are selling, and ask for advice on how to navigate processes, such as sending money to Burma, that they are unfamiliar with.

These groups provide some insight into the importance of social media, especially Facebook, in maintaining connections.

Mapping I created a map using the data collected from the Census, community colleges, and colleges. The visual representation of Burma-origin communities across the United States shows just how widespread the population is. In addition to the locations that had Census data for Burmese people, I found many other locations where refugee resettlement patterns indicated there were Burma-origin communities there. Those are indicated on Map in gray. The cities with Census data are color-coded by the percentage of residents who have lived in the same house since the past year. The lighter blue pins indicate locations where more people moved into compared to dark blue pins where a greater portion of residents remained in the same home.

Colleges The phenomenon of Burma-origin students attending the same schools in part due to a desire to attend school with coethnic students is more likely to occur in newer communities in smaller cities. This is true especially for refugee communities and two-year colleges. For example, Milwaukee Area Technical College has an ESL program that Mr. Trumbull says many Ro11

addressing the needs of the refugees. The Rohingya population was relatively new, with most arriving in the past 5 years. Much of this movement was the result of secondary resettlement.

Milwaukee catered to the Rohingya (and other refugee) demographic. It is a small, easy to travel city with many entry-level industrial jobs, cheap housing, and diverse schools.

Both BRCW and OMC provided help for their respective communities to fill out the 2020 Census. The Census was key to both communities in order to show the government their existence and need for resources. The BRCW specifically directed people to write in “Rohingya” as their ethnicity while Ms. Mon indicated that her organization instructed community members to fill in “Burmese.” She highlighted the importance of Burma’s different ethnic groups to be united because they are stronger with greater numbers. In saying this, she alluded to the political mobilization of the community against the 2021 military coup.

The BRCW and OMC have reacted to the coup in different ways. Mr. Trumbull stated that his organization had its hands full with their current operations serving Rohingya, so they have not participated actively in supporting the Civil Disobedience Movement. As one of only two organizations serving the Rohingya in Milwaukee, their resources are likely spread thin.

On the other hand, the OMC has been able to divert much of its attention to supporting the Civil Disobedience Movement.

In fact, the organization has been able to raise over $70,000 to support the movement. Ms. Mon emphasized that now was the most important time for ethnic groups to put aside their differences and come together against the common enemy, the military junta.

Map of Burma-origin communities in the U.S.

Interviews I interviewed Andrew Trumbull, Secretary of the Board and Administrative Director of the Burmese Rohingya Community of Wisconsin (BRCW) and Myat Mon, President of One Myanmar Community (OMC). BRCW is a non-profit organization founded in 2016 that provides transitional services for Rohingya refugees in Milwaukee. OMC, founded in 2007, is a nonprofit based in the Bay Area that provides services and events for the cultural and social welfare of Burmese immigrants. Mr. Trumbull and Ms. Mon provided insight on two very different communities of Burma-origin within the U.S. Ms. Mon described the Bay Area Burmese community as being well established. Immigration to the area has been occurring for decades, and the population has also spread out geographically. On the contrary, Mr. Trumbull emphasized that Rohingya were facing many challenges in transitioning to life in the United States and that there was a lack of organizations

Stephanie is a Burmese-American undergraduate student at Cornell University. She is pursuing her studies in sociology, education, and Southeast Asia with special interests in migration/migrants to the United States.

Thanks to the Einaudi Center for International Studies, Cornell University, for funding Stephanie’s internship!

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Recent Activities at Inya Academic Writing in the Social Sciences | Workshop Series Instructor: Dr. Van Tran This workshop series, conducted virtually, was designed for Burmese researchers based in Myanmar or Thailand who are working on their social science research papers. Over the course of ten weeks, it guided 11 participants through essential elements of English academic writing and offered tailored feedback to strengthen their prose. Regarding participants’ backgrounds, 80% are females, 60% are research professionals and the rest included teachers and graduate students. Their research topics are wide-ranging covering issues such land & rural livelihoods, education issues & reform, digital development & economy, children’s vulnerability & abuse, and political conflict & transition.

issues. I had expected these problems and was not surprised to see that they somehow led to a varying level of commitment among participants and fewer networking opportunities among participants.

In order to overcome such limitations, I first assigned participants into groups of 2-3 people to regularly read and offer written feedback to each other’s manuscript based on the workshop’s guidelines. This approach proved effective as they all actively conducted thorough reviews of their peers’ papers and fulfilled one of the workshop’s outcomes to enable participants to master essential tools of academic writing as well as build meaningful rapport During the first five and connections. Second, by weeks, they attended weekly providing one-on-one writone-hour lectures and ing sessions with participants completed in-class exercises whose papers had shown on key issues in academic significant improvement, writing, including: writing not only did I manage to a strong thesis statement, further motivate participants organizing well-structured but I was also able to gain a research papers, developing better understanding of their cohesion, varying sentence writing capacity and deliver structures, etc. Simultasome tailored support. MoreWorkshop Series’ announcement shared neously, for each week’s over, the one-on-one writing on the institute’s Facebook page homework, participants sessions effectively took on a alternated between providing written feedback to their peers second function as mentoring sessions since most participants and revising their own manuscripts. Then, in the second half of took the opportunity to ask for practical advice regarding next the workshop series, based on the quality of revision, I provided steps for their ongoing research projects or publication. Last one-on-one consultation meetings with 6 best performing but not least, participants appreciated having ongoing access to participants and provided brief written feedback to the rest. session recordings, presentations, and other relevant materials Participants then made final revisions and presented their work in the Google Drive folder so that they could review workshop’s during Week 10’s mini-conference. Throughout the course of contents at their convenience despite missing workshop sesthe workshop, I also provided participants with access to all sions. course materials and external relevant resources via a Google Drive folder.

Overall, I find this threefold approach highly pertinent in maintaining the workshop’s quality in the face of unprecedented Lessons learned challenges and we are confident our participants have also appreciated both the pedagogical approach and the increased Despite my experience teaching Burmese university students skills gained throughout the workshop. and young professionals in political science and academic research during previous years, this was my first time leading Dr. Van Tran is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Nordic Institute a workshop series virtually and coincidently happened in the of Asian Studies, University of Copenhagen. She completed her context of a nationwide political crisis and a global pandemic.

Ph.D. at the Department of Government, Cornell University in This created several major obstacles. Due to its virtual format, 2020, with a focus on comparative politics in Southeast Asia. She researchers without good internet connection could not be has also worked with policy research institutes and tech organizaselected for the workshop, some participants experienced untions in Myanmar to deliver insights and policy recommendations stable internet connection, and our interactions were limited to on various topics concerning local governance, digital literacy, the scheduled sessions. With the double crisis of military coup and online disinformation. and COVID-19 impacting people’s daily lives, participants were not able to devote as much time and efforts as initially anticipat- This workshop series was funded through CAORC by the U.S. ed; some participants had to miss sessions to tend to personal State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

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Current and Upcoming Activities at Inya Introduction to Social Research | Monthly Training Course Instructor: Pyai Nyein Kyaw Building on its experience in training staff at civil society organizations and the success of our acclaimed bilingual Myanmar-English ‘Introduction to Social Research Methods’, the Inya Institute kicked off in late July an introductory level ‘Social Research Training Course’. Run on a monthly basis and open to anyone interested in improving one’s research and thinking skills, the training course is offered free of charge, online and in the Myanmar language so as to reach out to the largest possible audience across the country. 346 participants have so far completed it over six sessions.

During the August course, 30 % of the 76 participants (screen shot above) were from Yangon, 13% from Shan State, 10% from Mandalay, 6% from Sagaing Division and Kachin State, and 34% from other States and Divisions.

Khong Naw [Program Assistant, Colorful Girls Organization in Myitkyina, Kachin State] said: “the learning gained from the course will be useful for her own research project and also for supporting the activities of my organization.” In the future, she hopes to attend the social research training course in person.

Theint Theint Win said: “after participating in this training, I have a clear vision of what I should do as an M&E officer at the organization where I work.”

Ye Yint Aung [a final year student from University of Education, Bago Region] said: “there is much research that I must do for studying subject matters, so this training helps me a lot.”

The course’s Lead Facilitator and himself one of the former institute’s trainees, Pyai Nyein Kyaw mentions: “the course purpose is to share the research knowledge and build up people’s capacity for the development of their community. The training is designed to meet the participants’ expectations which are mostly centered on improving their The online trainanalytical and critical ing has the advantage thinking skills as of reaching out to a well as addressing revery wide geographic search methodologispectrum of parcal challenges. Social ticipants with the science as a discipline caveat that internet and the study of connections remain social issues as a sciunstable. Also the entific and systematic drawback of a large process remain fields participation is the still in their infancy reduced time for each in Myanmar and still participant during poorly understood the Q&A sessions: by most; the trainsome may not have ing course therefore had the opportuScreen shot of the August session hopes to fill up some nity to raise a specific gaps in this understanding and encourage the participants to question. In addition to its online format, we hope we will be pursue further their interests in this field. The training is offered able to run the course also in person in 2022. to participants from a diverse community, geographical, ethnic, religious and gender.”

This program is funded through CAORC by the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Use and Practice of Research in the Project Cycle Mentoring Workshop Series for Civil Society Organizations The workshop series is currently under planning and will run on May-July 2022 with a group of 10 participant organizations and their representatives. Its purpose is threefold: (1) foster the participant organizations’ understanding of the significance of research activities as part of the project cycle;

(2) mentor them in the development of these activities; (3) and, for those engaged in advocacy, make the best use of research findings.

More info about this initiative in our next newsletters!

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Upcoming Events across the U.S. and beyond January Events 1. Towards Durable Solutions: Addressing Humanitarian Challenges in Bangladesh and Myanmar

Location: Center for Strategic & International Studies, Washington D.C. Date: January 12, 2022 at 9:00 am to 10:00 am (EST) Speakers: Daniel P. Sullivan, Representative Steve Chabot (R-OH) and Naw K’nyaw Paw The CSIS Humanitarian Agenda’s panel discussion will address the main humanitarian challenges in Myanmar and Bangladesh and opportunities to move toward durable solutions for those displaced or in need of humanitarian assistance.

More info here Register at: https://csis.zoom.us/webinar/ register/WN_Lm0taqh5QhKxhX0pzeDdTw

2. Rivers of Iron: Railroads and Chinese Power in Southeast Asia

Location: Asia Institute, University of Toronto Date: January 20, 2022 at 8:00 am to 9:00 am (EST) Speakers: Selina Ho, David M. Lampton, and Cheng-Chwee Kuik Rivers of Iron examines one aspect of President Xi Jinping’s “New Era”: China’s effort to create an intercountry railway system connecting China and its seven Southeast Asian neighbors (Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam). On the occasion of the publication of the book, a panel discussion is organized with the three authors.

More info: here Register at: https://munkschoolutoronto-ca.zoom.us/webinar/register/9716394971520/WN_UJRsN9VSRuiBrFx82c08wA

3. One Year After the Coup: Whither Myanmar?

Location: ISEAS, Yusof Ishak Institute Date: January 26, 2022 at 10:00 am to 11:30am (SGT) Speakers: Anthony Davies, Nyantha Maw Lin, Debbie Stothard

The webinar participants will share updates and analyses, offering some insight into the multi-faceted challenges – and consequences – of Myanmar’s continuing crisis after the 1 February 2021 coup.

More Info here Register at: https://us06web.zoom.us/ webinar/register/WN_Btb0kJ-nSUywf6c65Fg5CA

February Events 1. One Year on From The Miliary Coup in Myanmar, What Comes Next?

Location: Co-organised by the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre (SSEAC) and the Australian National University (ANU) Myanmar Research Centre Date: February 2, 2022 at 12 pm (AEDT) Guest Speakers: Catherine Renshaw, Nick Cheesman, David Thang Moe and Moe Thuzar This event will invite panellists to reflect on the politics, law and current affairs of Myanmar before and after the coup and what can be expected in the near future.

More info here Register at: https://uni-sydney.zoom.us/ webinar/register/WN_BovFFBRJQKGU1ZANXd8Y1A

2. Myanmar: Education & the Future

Location: South Asia Center, The London School of Economics And Political Science Date: February 3, 2022 at 3 pm (UKT) Speakers: Khin Ohmar, Martin Smith and Yin Min Tun Discussant: Jürgen Haacke Roundtable on the future of education in Myanmar in the triple crises of the military coup, conflict & Covid, and how it can bring change.

More info here Register at: https://www.eventbrite. co.uk/e/myanmar-education-the-futuretickets-239159591777

3. Poetry Against Tyranny: A Reading and Conversation with Three Burmese Poets 15

Location: Asia Center, Harvard University Date: February 4, 2022 at 4:00 pm to 5:45 pm (EST) Speakers: Me Me Khant, Mandy Moe Pwint Tu and Edna Du (Ei Htet) Discussant: Chu May Paing Poetry Reading by Burmese and Burmese-American scholars and activists.

Register at: https://harvard. zoom.us/webinar/register/ WN_3H_8f4piSkKhscjmNBmm3A

4. Extra Disciplinary Practice: Diverse Trajectories of Southeast Asian Studies

Location : Kyoto University Date : February 18 & 19, 2022 Speaker: Multiple The 45th Southeast Asia Seminar seeks to provide a space for reflection and comparison of variegated trajectories of transdisciplinarity in Southeast Asian Studies by, firstly, presenting a selection of “case studies” of transdisciplinary research, and, secondly, encouraging a conversation between up-and-coming and senior researchers. Transdisciplinary inquiry not only requires innovative research methods, but also challenges researchers – many of whom work isolated in the so-called “ivory towers” – as well as professional experts – many of whom are disconnected from civil society.

More info here

5. Repossessing Shanland: Rock & Roll, Nostalgia and Hope in the Thai-Burma Borderlands

Location: CSEAS, Northern Illinois University Date: February 25, 2022 at 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm (CST) Speaker: Jane Ferguson Jane Ferguson will present her new book, Repossessing Shanland. In avoiding a good/bad moral binary and illuminating cultural complexities, the book offers a fresh perspective on identity formation, transformation, and how people understand and experience borderlands today.

More info here

New Books On Myanmar

La réforme politique en Birmanie

pendant le premier moment colonial (1819-1878) Aurore CANDIER École française d’Extrême-Orient (EFEO), 2020 French Language The book considers the 1819-1878 period as a period of major transition and explores it through the prism of political reform and shows how, in half a century, the traditional Burmese notion of reform, understood as a necessary return to a golden age, evolves in contact with European political culture to appropriate the modern meaning of reform.

essential practical guidance for researchers and students embarking on fieldwork in violent, repressive and closed contexts.

Contributors detail their own experiences from areas including the Congo, Sudan, Yemen, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Myanmar, inviting readers into their reflections on mistakes and hard-learned lessons. Divided into sections on issues of control and confusion, security and risk, distance and closeness and sex and sensitivity, they look at how to negotiate complex grey areas and raise important questions that intervention researchers need to consider before, during and after their time on the ground.

Living with Myanmar

Justine Chambers, Charlotte Galloway, Jonathan Liljeblad ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, 2020 The book covers critical issues ranging from gender equality and identity politics, to agrarian reform and the representative role of parliament. Collectively, these voices raise key questions concerning the institutional legacies of military rule and their ongoing role in subverting the country’s reform process.

Doing Fieldwork in Areas of International Intervention: A Guide to Research in Violent and Closed Contexts

Berit Bliesemann de Guevara, Aberystwyth University, Morten Bøås, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs Bristol University Press, 2020 Using detailed insights from those with first-hand experience of conducting research in areas of international intervention and conflict, this handbook provides 16

Fifty Years in the Karen Revolution in Burma: The Soldier and the Teacher Saw Ralph, Naw Sheera Cornell University Press, 2020 Fifty Years in the Karen Revolution in Burma is about commitment to an ideal, individual survival and the universality of the human experience. The story of Saw Ralph and Naw Sheera, two prominent ethnic Karen leaders who lived--and eventually left--the Longest War, leaving the reader with insights on the cultural, social, and political challenges facing other non-Burman ethnic nationalities.

Sign Languages and Linguistic Citizenship: A Critical Ethnographic Study of the Yangon Deaf Community Ellen Foote Routledge Publisher, 2020 This critical ethnographic account of the Yangon deaf community in Myanmar offers unique insights into the dynamics of a vibrant linguistic and cultural minority community in the region and also sheds further light on broader questions around language policy. The book examines language policies on different scales, demonstrating how unofficial policies in the local deaf school and wider Yangon deaf community impact responses to higher level interventions, namely the 2007 government policy aimed at unifying the country’s two sign languages.