The Authority of Influence; Women and Power in Burmese History

Description

This book explores the relationship between gender and power in Burmese history from pre-colonial times to the present day and aims to identify the sources, nature and limitations of women’s power. The study takes as its starting point the apparent contradiction that, though Burmese women historically enjoyed relatively high social status and economic influence, for the most part they remained conspicuously absent from positions of authority in formal religious, social and political institutions. The book thus examines the concept of ‘family’ in Burmese political culture, and reveals how some women were able to gain political influence through their familial connections with powerful men, even while cultural models of ‘correct’ female behaviour prevented most women from attaining official positions of political authority. The study also considers how various influences – Buddhism, colonialism, nationalism, modernisation and militarism – shaped Burmese concepts of gender and power, with important implications for how women were able to exercise social, economic and political influence. The book explores how the effects of prolonged armed conflict, economic isolation and political oppression have constrained opportunities for women to attain power in contemporary Burma, and examines opportunities opened up by the pro-democracy movement and recent focus on women's issues and rights for women to exercise influence both inside Burma and in exile. Book title......Page 4 Contents......Page 6 Preface......Page 8 Abbreviations......Page 11 Introduction: Engendering Burmese history......Page 16 1. The ambiguous status of women in Burmese society......Page 32 2. Religion, royalty, marriage and motherhood: Images of female power in classical and pre-modern Burma......Page 65 3. Powerful women of the Konbaung dynasty......Page 97 4. The impact of colonialism and nationalism on women......Page 125 5. Social workers, beauty queens and insurgents: From independence to military rule......Page 158 6. The decline in women's status under military rule......Page 189 7. Aung San Suu Kyi's political influence and moral power......Page 221 8. Women's 'advancement' under the SLORC and SPDC......Page 253 Women's organisations in exile: New expressions of female power......Page 286 Epilogue......Page 320 Glossary......Page 330 Bibliography......Page 334 Index......Page 367