Historical Dictionary of Burma (Myanmar)

Donald M. Seekins

doi:10.5771/9781538101834

Summary

Burma (Myanmar) is a Southeast Asian country that is emerging from crisis after more than a half century of hard-line military rule and cultural, diplomatic and economic isolation. With the dissolution of its military regime, the State Peace and Development Council, in 2011, a formally civilian but military-dominated constitutional government was inaugurated. By 2012, Burma’s president, retired General Thein Sein, had established a working relationship with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the country’s pro-democracy movement since 1988, and after a 2012 by-election she and members of her opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), entered the new Union Parliament as legislators.

However, even with the election victory of Daw Suu Kyi and the NLD in the General Election of November 2015, Burma faces daunting challenges: it is still one of the poorest countries in Southeast, fissured by longstanding ethnic conflicts that have made a nationwide peace agreement elusive and its people’s security and the environment are threatened by foreign economic exploitation. Religious discord is also widely evident, as Buddhist militants instigate violence against the country’s religious minorities, especially Muslims.

Today Burma’s prospects are the most hopeful they have been for over half a century, as the country takes steps along the road to a more open society and economy. This edition of the Historical Dictionary of Burma (Myanmar) encompasses not only current developments, but also Burma’s over 1,500 years-old recorded history and the most important features of its cultures, ethnicity, religions, society and economy. This is done through achronology, an introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 700 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture.

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Bibliographic data

Edition: 2/2017
Copyright Year: 2017
ISBN-Print: 978-1-5381-0182-7
ISBN-Online: 978-1-5381-0183-4
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham
Language: English
Pages: 647
Product Type: Monograph

1. Contents No access
2. Editor’s Foreword No access
3. Acknowledgments No access
4. Reader’s Notes No access
5. Abbreviations and Acronyms No access
6. Maps No access
7. Chronology No access
Introduction No access Pages 1 - 48
1. A No access
2. B No access
3. C No access
4. D No access
5. E No access
6. F No access
7. G No access
8. H No access
9. I No access
10. J No access
11. K No access
12. L No access
13. M No access
14. N No access
15. O No access
16. P No access
17. R No access
18. S No access
19. T No access
20. U No access
21. V No access
22. W No access
23. Y No access
24. Z No access
Bibliography No access Pages 589 - 646
About the Author No access Pages 647 - 647