Civic Engagement in Myanmar: The Promise and Threat of Mobile Communication and the Internet

Media use has shown positive correlation with civic engagement, especially in democratic systems with well-developed local communication infrastructures. This study focussed on Myanmar, a country that has been under military rule for five decades. This has had negative consequences on participatory politics at the local level. The paper is based on an ethnographic field research conducted in four townships in the Bago division and Mon state in Myanmar, in two phases: August 2014 and April-May 2015. The study investigated how ICTs affected the civic engagement in neighbourhood communities, and how the technology helped mitigate or strengthen the divides between religious and ethnic communities. Findings showed that lack of democratically-instituted mechanisms has not deterred the local population from using mobile communication to show positive feeling towards their community. Youth volunteered for providing humanitarian assistance to economically deprived families. Mobile phones helped in micro coordination and facilitation of logistics. However, the fissures in the society between mainstream Burmese and the minority groups (especially Muslims) have the potential to undermine the democratic diffusion and use of ICTs in the country.

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