Exploring the gendered experiences of women in political exile : a case study of Myanmar women activists | |
| Author | Khin Aye Naing |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.GD-25-08 |
| Subject(s) | Women's studies--Burma Civil service--Burma |
| Note | A thesis submitted in patial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Gender and Development Studies |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | The study examines the gendered experiences of Myanmar women activists in political exile. It focuses particularly on a specific focus on woman civil servants who participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) after the 2021 military coup. It focuses on the geographical area of Chiang Mai and Mae Sot in Thailand. The study explores the specific challenges faced by these women civil servant CDMers in exile , how they cope with them and the impacts of these challenges in their post-exile everyday activism. This study was conducted by using a qualitative approach with (20) in-depth interviews with the women civil servant CDMers and (5) key informant interviews, who are working directly with those women, the study emphasizes the intersection of gender, activism, and political displacement. It examines the unique challenges they face in exile, how they cope with them, and how these challenges shape their everyday activism. The study highlights how gender roles such as being mothers, wives, and caretakers intersect with their political engagement and experiences of displacement. Structural and relational issues in the support system like poor coordination, digital exclusion, fragmented communication, symbolic participation, and emotional burnout are also identified in this study. Important factors that influence their coping include the availability of support networks, their trust in resources, their roles in their families, and the reality that activism itself serves as a coping mechanism. One of the most significant contributions of this study is its focus on the unique gendered experiences of women civil servant CDMers, including their expressions of gender, their concerns as mothers of sons at conscription age, and the sense of sisterhood built in exile. Despite the hardships, these women show strong commitment to the resistance movement. The findings also suggest important areas for improving support and expanding opportunities for women’s political participation through activism. |
| Year | 2025 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Gender and Development Studies (GD) |
| Chairperson(s) | Chatterjee, Joyee S. |
| Examination Committee(s) | Kusakabe, Kyoko;Duanghathai Buranajaroenkij |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | AIT Scholarship |
| Degree | Thesis (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2025 |