Glasnost for Myanmar? Political cultures in transition

During 50 years of military dictatorship there have been few opportunities to study Myanmar's political cultures. With the exception of North Korea, less is known about the day-to-day functioning of Myanmar's political system than any other comparable Asian society. To help remedy that deficit, this project will research and explain the political cultures that have emerged during the period of parliamentary transition and relative political openness which began with a new constitution in 2008. The project will develop new concepts for understanding transitional societies perched precariously between dictatorial legacies and democratic ambitions.