Myanmar's Digital Coup

Nicholas Coppel

ISBN 10: 3031586441 / ISBN 13: 9783031586446

Published by Springer, Berlin, Springer International Publishing, Palgrave Macmillan, 2024

About this Item

This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This book explores the nature, scope, merits and limits of international responses to Myanmar's February 2021 coup. The novelty of this book lies in its analysis of the coup in the digital age. While the literature on Myanmar addresses issues such as earlier periods of reform, Myanmar's political transition, the Saffron revolution, and human rights, there is still limited research that looks into the influence of digitalised Myanmar on the post-coup Civil Disobedience Movement and protestors. Myanmar opened and changed enormously in the past ten years. The use of technology and the Internet increased phenomenally, exposing Myanmar's citizenry to new ideas, experiences and ways of viewing the world. The impact of these developments on responses to the 2021 coup is the focus of this book.Myanmar's opening to the world and its digitalisation has made this coup different from the three previous coups. The book's starting point is that diplomacy is no longer (if it everwas) the preserve of governments and diplomats. International organisations, not-for-profit organisations, large corporations, academia, civil society, social media, and even individuals have all been engaged and sought to influence developments.Drawing extensively on primary sources (official statements by UN agencies, foreign governments, international corporations, NGOs and Burma campaign activists) and experiences as a senior diplomat and an academic working with Myanmar's government to build cyber capacity and cyber security awareness, this book takes a fresh look at all forms of international behaviour that seek to bring about change in a rogue or pariah state. The book will be the first to study the part played by Gen Z and their facility with smart phone technology to mobilise, inform and build opposition to the coup. To what extent did the youth of Myanmar learn from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand and the so-called 'milk tea alliance' How has dependenceon the internet affected the operations of the security forces and the Civil Disobedience Movement How did both sides deploy misinformation and disinformation to achieve their respective goals The book thus provides an informative guide for those seeking an understanding of what has happened and what, short of a military intervention, can be done about it. It examines international responses in the first year following the coup, candidly assessing their feasibility, efficacy and utility. Recent developments are situated within the context of Myanmar's modern history and the discourse on the effectiveness of sanctions compared with engagement.The book also critically examines ASEAN's role - how does ASEAN see its role, how does the National Unity Government regard ASEAN endeavours, and how does the rest of the world view ASEAN's capacity to address Myanmar's problems We evaluate ASEAN's principle of non-interference in the internalaffairs of member states. Does this principle matter more to it than judgments about its weakness and inability to deal with breaches of the ASEAN Charter 229 pp. Englisch.

Seller Inventory # 9783031586446

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Myanmar's Digital Coup
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin, Springer International Publishing, Palgrave Macmillan
• Publication Date: 2024
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3031586441
• ISBN 13: 9783031586446
• Binding: Buch
• Condition: Neu
• Dimensions: 210W x 148H x 17D millimeters 210 millimeters width by 148 millimeters height by 17 millimeters depth
• Weight: 410 grams

About this title

Synopsis

This book analyses how technologies have been used by both the military junta and resistance movement in Myanmar’s digital coup to control information and the transfer of funds and to pursue accountability. They have been used to pressure and mobilise external actors and the book critically assesses international responses ranging from the United Nations, ASEAN, individual countries, activist groups, donors and international businesses. Contact with the military has been criticised as recognising and legitimising the regime and individual firms have come under pressure to exit. The authors argue that the National Unity Government overestimates the significance of foreign recognition and activists overestimate the influence of international responses on military behaviour. They suggest external actors change from judging and excoriating the responses of the international community and focus on how foreign governments,businesses or organisations can support and strengthen Myanmar society. If change in Myanmar is to come it will be those that have remained, not those that have left, that will bring it about.

About the Author

Nicholas Coppel is President of the Australia Myanmar Institute and a former senior career diplomat. He was Australia's Ambassador to Myanmar for four years from 2015 to 2018.

Lennon Y.C. Chang is Associate Professor, Cyber Risk and Policy, in the Centre for Cyber Resilience and Trust and the School of Information Technology, at Deakin University. His research focuses on the intersection of law and technology, cybercrime and cyber security, disinformation campaigns and foreign interference. He co-founded Cyber Baykin: Myanmar Cyber Security Awareness Campaign. Dr Chang completed a PhD in Law at the Regulatory Institutions Network at the Australian National University.