Everyday Economic Survival in Myanmar

Ardeth Maung Thawnghmung is a professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts. Growing up in Burma, she and her family employed many of the coping strategies she would later study. She is the author of several books, including Behind the Teak Curtain: Authoritarianism, Agricultural Policies, and Political Legitimacy in Rural Burma.

List of Illustrations Preface: A Personal Odyssey Chronology List of Abbreviations Terminological Note Introduction 1 Variations in Coping Strategies 2 Living Frugally 3 Working on the Side 4 Networks, Community, and External Aid 5 Boosting Morale 6 Accommodating, Resisting, and Exiting Conclusion: Implications for Regime Change and Democracy Notes Bibliography Index

"Particularly exciting is Thawnghmung's attention to deference, noncompliance, accommodation, and participation in perpetuating the status quo." --Ken MacLean, Clark University "Required reading for students and professionals interested in political economy, development, aid, society, and culture in Myanmar and Southeast Asia, and within and beyond the field of Asian studies. Original and exciting." --Maitrii Aung-Thwin, National University of Singapore