Women’s Participation in the Burmese Ethnic and Student Oppositional Movement

Abstract: The official notion of women in Burma is that they are equal to men but happy with their non- political domestic role in society. This notion undermines the work and struggle done by women in the oppositional movement. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to add to the understanding of how women participate in the Burmese ethnic and student oppositional movement. The study used feminist standpoint theory in the theoretical framework to stress the importance of basing knowledge on women’s experiences. Thus, this study aims to tell ‘another story’ beside the often-used male narrative, to understand what power relations and hierarchies women experience within the movement and within the organisations they belong to. As youth and students have had an important role in the Burmese political history, I have mainly interviewed women active in student and youth organisations. My interpretation of women’s experiences in the movement showed that gender hierarchies and conservative notions of gender roles are important factors influencing how women are able to participate in the movement. I also found two intersecting factors which seemed to, together with gender, be especially relevant for women’s participation in the ethnic and student oppositional movement; age and ethno-politics.