Shows that just eking out a living from day to day in Myanmar (formerly Burma) leaves little time for civic engagement. Thawnghmung concludes that the resourceful strategies citizens use in the short term for coping with hardship may hinder the emergence of democratic values needed to sustain the country's transition to a more open political environment.
Reforms in Myanmar (formerly Burma) have eased restrictions on citizens' political activities. Yet for most Burmese, Ardeth Maung Thawnghmung shows, eking out a living from day to day leaves little time for civic engagement. Citizens have coped with extreme hardship through great resourcefulness. But by making bad situations more tolerable in the short term, these coping strategies may hinder the emergence of the democratic values needed to sustain the country's transition to a more open political environment.
Thawnghmung conducted in-depth interviews and surveys of 372 individuals from all walks of life and across geographical locations in Myanmar between 2008 and 2015. To frame her analysis, she provides context from countries with comparable political and economic situations. Her findings will be welcomed by political scientists and policy analysts, as well by journalists and humanitarian activists looking for substantive, reliable information about everyday life in a country that remains largely in the shadows.
List of Illustrations
Preface: A Personal Odyssey
Chronology
List of Abbreviations
Terminological Note
Introduction
1 Variations in Coping Strategies
2 Living Frugally
3 Working on the Side
4 Networks, Community, and External Aid
5 Boosting Morale
6 Accommodating, Resisting, and Exiting
Conclusion: Implications for Regime Change and Democracy
Notes
Bibliography
Index
