This paper is an ethnography about how anthropology is taught as a major in universities in my home country, Myanmar. The aims of this ethnography is to explore the teaching methods, how it is different from my experience in University of Roehampton, why it is very underestimated by majority of people in the country and the potential of the subject. Initially, I come up with a hypothesis of possible variations in teaching methods, student ambition, case studies and potential career options as a UK student and compare my results to what I initially thought of.
Myanmar is a developing country of Southeast Asia with many historical turning points which makes the country's unique cultural melting pot. The country goes from monarchy to English colonization to being occupied by fascist Japanese and again taken over by English government during the second world war. After gaining independence in 4 January 1948, it was led by a socialist government with a military general and a president at its duel leaders. In 1962, the military launched a coup de tat and took over the country, putting the country under it's oppressive rule until 2011. These conditions greatly effects people's social lives and prevents a stable education system since the education of a country reflects the ideals of the government. With the ever-changing political power, each one influencing the students to a degree, the people of Myanmar lack a clear path to their goals. By conducting interviews with the teachers, students and faculty members of a university in Yangon, a former capital, I plan to find out why anthropology major is very rarely taken, discouraged by parents and looked down as a subject with no career option. My ultimate goal would be to unravel the questions of negativity and resurrect the dying subject.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Methods
3. Background information of Myanmar
4. Education in Myanmar
5. Anthropology in Myanmar
6. Two sides of a coin ( Teachers vs Students )
7. Potential of Anthropology in Myanmar
8. Conclusion
9. Bliblography
Research Objectives & Key Themes
This dissertation serves as an ethnographic exploration into the current state of anthropology education in Myanmar, aiming to identify why the discipline is marginalized and how it can be revitalized to contribute to the nation's neo-democratic development.
- Analysis of the historical and political factors stifling the anthropology curriculum in Myanmar.
- Comparative evaluation of educational environments in Myanmar versus the UK (University of Roehampton).
- Investigation of the "Two sides of a coin" dynamic affecting student-teacher relationships and academic motivation.
- Exploration of potential applications for anthropology in solving national conflicts and advancing sustainable development.
Excerpt from the Book
The classroom ethics
Daily classroom ethics starts when a teacher first entered into the classroom and all students are expected to standup from their seats and greet the teacher in unison. All students are expected to revere the teachers and the teachers and parents are put in the same hierarchy as the Lord Buddha in buddhist beliefs (Dr.Than Tun, 2004). After the greeting, normally a morning prayer comes first before any teaching in primary schools in which the teacher lead the prayer and the students recite what the teacher said. This practice was created by the military junta to eliminate individualism and further establish the national religion as buddhism at the same time discriminating other religious practices. Typical in class ethics include complete silence while the teacher is speaking, not questioning the teacher despite the obvious mistakes or injustice , reciting along the text in the book in a lazy and melancholic manner and occasional corporal punishment - mostly beating with a bamboo cane and doing sit ups in front of the whole class ( Dr Than Tun, 2004). This is most likely what shaped or scarred the young students into timid and shy adults who lacks confidence and thought to revolt and retaliate against the government and the system. The quality of education is in a very worrying state with the system lacking qualified teachers, proper facility, enough funding to hire more staff and update the textbooks to a modern syllabus but with only 4.4% of national GDP channeled into the education sector in 2013-2014, the education in Myanmar is still far from recovery state (Haydena and Martin, 2013).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The author outlines the importance of education as a cultural pillar and introduces the ethnographic focus on the struggle of anthropology within the socio-political context of Myanmar.
2. Methods: This chapter details the field research conducted at Dagon University, acknowledging the logistical challenges and the participant observation method used to gain insights.
3. Background information of Myanmar: The chapter provides a historical trajectory of Burma through its monarchial era, colonial occupation, and military regime to contextualize the current state of the nation.
4. Education in Myanmar: This section examines the structural and systemic issues within the country's education sector, noting the influence of government policies and the stratification of student status.
5. Anthropology in Myanmar: The author explores the curriculum and history of anthropology departments, identifying the decline of the field and the stigma attached by previous political regimes.
6. Two sides of a coin ( Teachers vs Students ): This chapter analyzes the mutual difficulties faced by faculty and students, focusing on lack of funding, infrastructural decay, and poor communication.
7. Potential of Anthropology in Myanmar: The author highlights the critical role anthropology could play in mediating ethnic conflicts and fostering sustainable agricultural development.
8. Conclusion: The work concludes with a call for a localized approach to reviving anthropology, emphasizing the need for independence from foreign influence in shaping the nation's academic future.
9. Bliblography: A comprehensive list of references supporting the dissertation's claims.
Keywords
Anthropology in Myanmar, Ethnography, Education System, Dagon University, Cultural Identity, Political History, Student-Teacher Relationship, Academic Marginalization, Post-colonialism, Social Development, Agricultural Anthropology, Medical Anthropology, Nation Building, Myanmar History, Field Research
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this dissertation?
The work focuses on the state of anthropology as an academic major in Myanmar, analyzing why it is underestimated, rarely chosen, and what its future potential is for the country.
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
Key themes include the history of education under various political regimes, ethnographic fieldwork in Burmese universities, the teacher-student dynamic, and the application of anthropology to national conflicts and sustainable development.
What is the central research question?
The research aims to understand why anthropology is discouraged and neglected in Myanmar and how the subject can be resurrected to help the nation move forward in a neo-democratic era.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author uses ethnographic methods, specifically participant observation and informal one-on-one interviews with staff and students in a university setting.
What is covered in the main section of the document?
The main part of the document covers the historical background of Myanmar, the structural failures of the current education system, the challenges of teaching and studying anthropology, and the potential value of graduates in NGOs and governance.
Which key terms characterize this research?
Key terms include ethnographic study, educational disparity, institutional challenges, cultural melting pot, and anthropological application in agriculture and conflict resolution.
How does the author describe the "Two sides of a coin" in the anthropology department?
The author describes a dilemma where teachers work under extreme hardship with little support, while students are held back by an outdated admission system, lack of infrastructure, and language barriers.
What is the author's stance on foreign influence in the Rakhine region?
The author argues that foreign media often portrays the situation with a lack of cultural context, and that local anthropologists are better suited to trace migration origins and resolve conflicts through cultural understanding.
- Citation du texte
- Thiha Thu Kyinn (Auteur), 2019, Academic Anthropology in Myanmar. Education and Potential, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1352242
