Buddhist nuns and civil activism in transitional Myanmar

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter (peer-reviewed)peer-review

Abstract / Description of output

In this chapter, the author consciously uses the term ‘civil’, not ‘political’, to refer to these movements because, in principle, the thilashin are constitutionally disallowed from participating in politics or political movements. The British left Myanmar in 1948 and the military took over the country in 1962. The military rule spanned for decades until 2010, when the country had its first democratic national elections. In addition to the essentialisation of Buddhism as an intrinsically peaceful religion, some scholars argue that Buddhism is one of the most gender-egalitarian traditions. There is a consensus among scholars that the single act that undermined the legitimacy of the junta was the violent suppression of the so-called Saffron Revolution in 2007. Since the military took over in February 2021, there have been severe internet blackouts and ban on media usage across Myanmar. The positionality of the thilashins continues to be ambiguous and in between the “social perceptions and their actual standing”.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Routledge Handbook of Religion, Gender and Society
EditorsCaroline Starkey, Emma Tomalin
Place of PublicationLondon
PublisherRoutledge
Chapter6
Pages88-102
Number of pages15
Edition1st
ISBN (Electronic)9780429466953
ISBN (Print)9781138601901, 9781032161402
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 31 Dec 2021

Publication series

NameRoutledge Handbooks in Religion
PublisherRoutledge

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