We are pleased to present Volume 2, Issue 1 of the Federal Democracy Research Journal to our readers and the wider academic community. Building on the foundation established by the first volume, this issue brings together research and scholarly reflections that examine Myanmar’s ongoing political and social transformations, as well as broader questions concerning federal democracy and the country’s future state-building process.
Since 2021, Myanmar has continued to experience profound political, military, social, and economic changes. These developments have raised fundamental questions not only about the future structure of the state and systems of governance, but also about people’s everyday lives and livelihoods, identity, self-determination, and the changing role of states and local governance. In this context, evidence-based research and informed academic discussion have become increasingly important for understanding both the present situation and the possibilities for Myanmar’s future.
In this volume, Dr. Ohmar and Dr. Sagara examine how conflict following the 2021 military coup has reshaped gender roles, livelihoods, and household resilience in Mon State. Their study pays particular attention to changing economic and household responsibilities among women, as well as the ways in which communities have adapted and supported one another amid prolonged conflict and economic disruption.
Nai Lawi Aung offers a comparative study of federal systems, exploring different models of federalism and their institutional arrangements. Drawing on the experiences of Canada, India, the United States, and Germany, his paper considers how powers, responsibilities, autonomy, and intergovernmental relations are structured in different federal systems, while also relating these experiences to the continuing discussion on federalism in Myanmar.
Nai Kasauh Mon examines the emergence and development of State and Federal Units during the post-2021 conflict and their potential roles in the process of federating or confederating Burma/Myanmar. His paper considers developments in Karenni State, northern Shan State, and the Ah Nyar region, as well as the experiences of Wa and Arakan, to explore the changing landscape of governance, state-building, and bottom-up approaches to federalism.
In another contribution, Dr. Ashley South reflects on identity politics in Burma from a historical perspective. His paper considers the complex relationships among ethnicity, identity, state-building, and belonging, and reflects on the long-standing challenge of building a political community in which Myanmar’s diverse peoples can find a meaningful sense of shared belonging.
Although the contributions in this volume differ in subject matter and approach, together they offer multiple perspectives from which to understand Myanmar’s present transformation and its future state-building challenges. From the everyday experiences and livelihoods of communities affected by conflict to questions of identity and belonging, comparative models of federalism, and the emergence of new State and Federal Units, the papers address different dimensions of a broader and continuing debate about Myanmar’s political future.
The file is available for download via the link below.
The Federal Democracy Research Journal does not seek to provide a single answer to these complex questions. Rather, it aims to provide a space where different research findings, evidence, perspectives, and scholarly arguments can meet, encouraging further inquiry, discussion, and knowledge production.
We hope that the contributions in Volume 2, Issue 1 will help readers develop a deeper understanding of Myanmar’s complex and rapidly changing context and contribute to continued discussion and research on peace, democracy, federalism, and the country’s future.
With this hope, we are pleased to present Federal Democracy Research Journal, Volume 2, Issue 1 to our readers and the wider academic community.
Editorial Team
Federal Democracy Research Journal
Rehmonnya Institute for Civic Engagement (RICE)
