Multidisciplinary Studies and Perspectives on Poverty in Myanmar

August 22–23, 2014 
Organizer: Ardeth Thawnghmung, Professor, University of Massachusetts, Lowell

Poverty has been a dominant feature and a major challenge in Myanmar. According to the UNDP, twenty six percent of the populations are living under poverty. The majority of Myanmar citizens still live in rural areas growing crops with rudimentary tools and draft animals.  President Thein Sein publicly acknowledged this poverty in 2011 and announced an anti-poverty initiative. And yet, despite aggregate statistics documenting poverty and deprivation, we know little systematically about the lived experience and texture of poverty among Burmans, let alone the Kayin, Kachin, Mon, Rohingya, Shan, Lisu, PaO etc. The workshop will bring together scholars, researchers, humanitarian workers, policy makers and staff from non-profit organizations to share their work and perspectives on different aspects of poverty. We will focus on the archival, documentary, literary, and oral history sources that will help us understand the shape and meaning of poverty and its historical legacy. We hope that the workshop will enlighten our understanding about broader political, institutional, and policy challenges and other structural impediments that produce poverty and undermine anti-poverty programs. The workshop is expected to shed light on grassroots’ culture and practices in response to poverty and the complex roots of poverty.

The workshop will also serve as a forum to discuss the formation of a Journal, which is aimed to become the premier vehicle for the best work in social sciences, history, and literary studies in Burma and, at the same time, the place where students of Burmese and Burmese affairs in America and elsewhere can expect to find original work of historical depth and careful argument on contemporary issues. Editorial meetings will follow as the journal is assembled.

Venue: Central Hotel, Yangon

Peer-Review and Publication

Feedback at the workshop vs peer-reviewers — We think it is productive to do both. After the articles are submitted, a workshop will be organized with editors (for a particular issue) to give critical comments and feedback to the editors. A peer-review processed will also be conducted after the final drafts are submitted. The editor-in-chief will edit the comments from the peer-review before he/she sends them out to the authors. Peer-review process should be a double blind peer-review. 

Schedule

Day I — August 22, 2014

9:00–9:30

Introduction
Ardeth Thawnghmung and Cin Khan Lian

9:30–10:30

Paper 1: Poverty and Natural Resources in Ethnic Areas
Salaing Cung Lian Thang

10:30–11:00

Break

11:00–12:00

Paper 2: Poverty and Governance
Myat Thet and Hta Hta

12:00–13:00

Lunch

13:00–14:00

Paper 3: Poverty and Livelihood: Migrant Workers in Mon state
Tin Myo Win

14:00–15:00

Paper 4: Poverty and Livelihood: The Lives of Bus Conductors
Ye Hein Aung

15:00–15:30

Break

15:30–16:30

Paper 5: Poverty and Health: How Poor People Deal with Preventive and Emergency Health Crisis
Dr. Nay Lynn Zaw

16:30–17:30

Paper 6: Public Health in Myanmar
Dr. Thant Zin

Day II — August 23, 2014

9:00–10:00

Paper 7: The Role of NGOs in Poverty Alleviation
Cin Khan Lian

10:00–10:30

Break

10:30–11:30

Paper 8: Urban Migrants
Maxime Boutry

11:30–12:30

Paper 9: Poverty and Livelihood: The Lives of Fishermen in Rakhine State
Eh Htoo

12:30–13:30

Lunch

13:30–14:30

Paper 10: Poverty and Education
TBA

14:30–15:30

Discussion on researched papers
Ardeth Thawnghmung

15:30–16:00

Break

16:00–17:30

Recap