ABSTRACT
After decades of direct military rule, Myanmar’s contested transition to more democratic government has rapidly shifted the outlook in this significant Southeast Asian nation. Changes at the political level have astounded many observers. The National League for Democracy (NLD) government that took office in 2016 now shares power with its old enemies in the armed forces. Ethnic minorities who fought for greater autonomy anticipate fresh rounds of negotiations with the central authorities. The economy has boomed, recently growing at a rate of around 8 per cent. In some urban neighbourhoods, the rate of economic growth is surely much higher. People are on the move, taking advantage of new employment prospects and business opportunities to improve conditions for themselves and their families. Many who were locked out of the political process are emboldened to have their say, including across a vast spectrum of largely unregulated social media. Even traditional broadcasters and publishers have the freedom to test the limits of open debate. It is a time of immense flux and change, defined by the partial resolution of a complicated history that saw long-running conflict between democrats and militarists, conservatives and ethno-nationalists. Their battles are now fused to a society rapidly shifting its priorities and, with them, the expectations of the rest of the world.
