Solidarity And Civil Society: An Answer To Dictatorship In Burma

This book explores the ideas of solidarity and civil society in the complex social, political context of the Kachin tribal society and democratic struggles in Burma. It argues that the idea of solidarity is less effective in the Kachin tribal society when there are internal tensions and conflicts in the sphere of religion and politics. It reconstructs theories of solidarity and civil society in light of the Saffron Revolution, and explores how social solidarity and civil society movement were generated from the sacred space created by the Buddhist monks. It also explores possibilities of developing civil society from other informal spheres of social life in Burma. Finally it analyzes the concept of charisma and how charisma can generate social solidarity by looking into the qualities of charisma in the personhood of Aung San Suu Kyi. This book is recommended for students and teachers of theology, anthropology, civil society, sociology, political science and Southeast Asia studies.