lerdoh3@googlemail.com

Ashley South has over 20 years’ experience as an independent author, researcher and consultant. He has a PhD from the Australian National University and an MSc from SOAS (University of London), and is a Senior Research Fellow at Chiang Mai University.

 

Subscribe to the South and Merryfellow Substack blog, Scratching the Surface -

this week: Beyond Myanmar? [Part 2]

 

Watch ‘Myanmar Army on the Ropes’ (by Yan Naing, Tom Sheahan, Fiona Lloyd-Davies and me) on the Al Jazeera YouTube channel - 

New York Film Festival - Golden Tower winner for best politics documentary !

 

To support relief and resistance in Burma, please donate to to the Free Burma Rangers

 

My latest ->

two recent peer-reviewed articles:

 

1. co-authored with Thramu Ardeth M. Thawnghmung -

Revolutionary Regimes: Emerging Forms of Governance in Post-Coup Myanmar, March 2025

A variety of governance forms have emerged in Myanmar’s post-coup landscape, bringing together established Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) with dynamic new actors from a broad spectrum of elected lawmakers, youth, women and civil society in Myanmar’s “Spring Revolution” against the 2021 coup and military rule.
Experiments with new forms of governance have had varying degrees of success, with wide swathes of territory across the country coming under the control of groups opposed to the State Administration Council (SAC). Governance in non-SAC areas ranges from union-level claims, through regional, township and village tract arrangements. We identify five main types of governance in non-SAC areas:

* Direct EAO governance—generally an (often benign) one-party state, in the name of a specific ethnic group.
* Emergent (post-coup) state or area-based governance with more inclusion of civilians and local minorities, in a specific area.
* Transitional governance arrangements, moving from model 1 to model 2.
* Local resistance administrations in non-EAO areas—often aligned with the National Unity Government.
* Indigenous local governance—at organic village/community-level, but also radical initiatives such as the Salween Peace Park in northern Karen State.

These developments have significant implications for democratic practices, national reconciliation and intercommunal relationships in Myanmar, serving as “bottom-up building blocks” for a new federalism aspired to by many ethnic minority (ethnic nationality) groups.
However, they remain vulnerable to junta attacks, including air-strikes, and are potentially subject to conflict due to overlapping territorial claims and the unsettled nature of territorial control by competing armed groups.

Trends in Southeast Asia 2025/4, March 2025

Download the full paper.

 

&

 

2. Failing Assumptions and the “Post-Myanmar Turn” - Journal of Contemporary Asia, February 2025

 “Myanmar” is an increasingly problematic signifier. A post-Myanmar turn is gaining traction in Burma studies and policy
circles, primarily because of the changing empirical situation. The “assumption of Myanmar” – that the country may be damaged but still makes sense as a coherent entity – is increasingly unviable. This commentary identifies some alternatives to
“Myanmar.” However, the main purpose is to critique a failing concept, and a corresponding failed state.

The “post-Myanmar turn” rests on four related theses:

(i) historically the state was forged by violence. Especially since the imposition of military rule a decade after independence and since the 2021 coup, the central government has been experienced by large numbers of purported citizens as illegal and illegitimate;

(ii) The existence of numerous ethnic nationality communities achieving de facto autonomy – with Ethnic Armed Organisations providing a range of state-like administrative functions and services, and local communities engaging in indigenous governance practices – demonstrates credible rivals to the state of Myanmar;

(iii) The post-2021 coup collapse of basic central state functions and services across much of the country undermines the remnants of central state performance legitimacy;

(iv) The devastating future impacts of climate change will increasingly drive the disarticulation of the centralised state.

Download the PDF [paywall]

 

 

 

Nancy and the Count: Vampires’ Gold, by Frank Merryfellow

[Ashley South] - The novel which predicted 1027 ! 

(Frogmort Press, Chiang Mai 2023)

 

Available in hardback at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and all good bookstores. 

Buy the hardback edition from Barnes & Noble

The e-book [Kindle compatible] is available at Lulu and other e-bookstores.

Buy the e-book from Lulu Bookstore

You can also order the book and learn more about it at the

Frogmort Press website

 

In Chiang Mai, get hard-copies from Golden Land Solidarity Collective,

in Mae Sot, from Borderline Collective,

and in Bangkok at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand.

 

Nancy and the Count is a thriller, set in London, Thailand and Burma. The action takes place in an adjacent reality, as climate change begins to kick in – a good time for vampires to re-emerge.

Our heroine Nancy kills an attacking vampire, setting off a chain of adventures. The tale leads through subterranean vaults of the British Museum and encounters with the evil Count and his minions – the bat Sgargov and the tarantula-munching Jikes (a corrupt police officer).

But Nancy has friends and allies – her resurrection man and husband Saw Wah, Prof Potts and his team at the university, the mysterious Van Helsing, and last but not least the brave Karen insurgents of Burma.

There are scenes of terror and violence. Teaming up with her comrades in the revolution, Nancy heads into the war zone – to capture the vampires’ gold, and a sickeningly powerful cache of magic rubies.

The Count is in league with the evil Burmese junta. The enemy attacks in the deepest jungle. Can Nancy and her little team out-fight the forces of evil?

No part of the book was written or produced using AI.

 

 

Non-fiction Books

  • 2023 - Conflict, Complexity and Climate Change: emergent federal systems in post-coup Myanmar (Chiang Mai University RCSD-IDRC 2023). Hardcopies can be purchased from the Regional Center for Social Science and Sustainable Development, CMU.  The e-book – and Burmese language translation - can be downloaded (public access, free of charge): https://rcsd.soc.cmu.ac.th/publications/conflict-complexity-climate-change/  

 

 

Film & Audio

 

This short film was presented at the COP-26 Climate Conference (in the Indigenous Peoples Pavilion) on 5 November 2021.   It shows how Karen and Kachin indigenous peoples protect Burma’s forests against the military junta and other threats. This inspiring film features Dr Tu Hkawng (National Unity Government, Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental   Conservation) and Saw Paul Sein Twa (KESAN, the 2020 Goldman Prize Winner), and explains how indigenous people fight climate change and sustain both human communities and ecosystems. Produced by Tom Sheahan and Ashley South.

 

  • Interview with The Irrawaddy [Burmese sub-titles]:

      Part 1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1USLqjgs88ZVATNN/?mibextid=WC7FNe

YouTube: https://youtu.be/Xnoau-7fvwo?si=PaI4zvTuLf0IXLzq

      Part 2

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/9gvd7JmrYKcGbC1H/?mibextid=KsPBc6

YouTube: https://youtu.be/VkbVyjrqgjQ?si=AxwGYPaCqZFPkWb2

       Part 3

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theirrawaddyburmese/videos/1209150623453993/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/X_-a6efr5EE?si=v3qDkrKlHV2A7CA2

 

  • Long-form podcast with Insight Myanmar:

https://insightmyanmar.org/complete-shows/2025/1/20/ghosts-of-empire 

 

 

Peer-reviewed articles

  • 2025 - Ashley South and Ardeth M. Thawnghmung, Revolutionary Regimes: Emerging Forms of Governance in Post-Coup Myanmar (Trends in Southeast Asia 2025/4, March 2025): https://www.iseas.edu.sg/articles-commentaries/trends-in-southeast-asia/revolutionary-regimes-emerging-forms-of-governance-in-post-coup-myanmar-by-ardeth-m-thawnghmung-and-ashley-south/
  • 2025 - Failing Assumptions and the “Post-Myanmar Turn” ('Journal of Contemporary Asia', February 2025 - doi: 10.1080/00472336.2025.2463524): https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00472336.2025.2463524
  • 2024 - Education Reform in Post-Coup Myanmar: Federalizing or Federating? , co-authored with Emily Stenning and Tim Schroeder ('Contemporary Southeast Asia,' Vol.46,No.3, August 2024) - PDF
  • 2021 - Towards “Emergent Federalism” in Post-coup Myanmar ('Contemporary Southeast Asia,' Vol.43,No.3, December 2021) - PDF:  Burmese language translation
  • 2021 - Empty Ways: Christian Prayer and Daoist Meditation ('Journal of Daoist Studies', Vol.14, 2021) - PDF (slightly revised version of the published article)
  • 2018 - Power Dynamics of Language and Education Policy in Myanmar’s Contested Transition [Marie Lall and Ashley South] ('Comparative Education Review', Vol.62, No.4, 2018)
  • 2018 - Daoism and Peacebuilding: Toward an Agenda for Research and Practice ('Journal of Daoist Studies', Vol.11, 2018) -

    http://www.lulu.com/shop/jds-editors/journal-of-daoist-studies-vol-11/paperback/product-23500610.html

  • 2017 - “Hybrid Governance” and the Politics of Legitimacy in the Myanmar Peace Process ('Journal of Contemporary Asia', 2017) - http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/n8dKEPuynMeC3I6r6vAe/full
  • 2016 - From Rebels to Rulers: The Challenges of Transition for Nonstate Armed Groups in Mindanao and Myanmar [with Christopher M. Joll] ('Critical Asian Studies', Vol.48,No.2, 2016) - PDF
  • 2016 - Language, Education and the Peace Process in Myanmar [with Marie Lall] ('Contemporary Southeast Asia' Vol.38, No.1) - PDF
  • 2015 – Forced Migration: typology and agency in Southeast Myanmar [with Kim Jolliffe] (‘Contemporary Southeast Asia’ Vol.37, No.2, 2015) – PDF
  • 2013 – Comparing Models of Non-state Ethnic Education in Myanmar: the Mon and Karen national education regimes [with Marie Lall] (‘Journal of Contemporary Asia’, 2013)
  • 2012 – The Politics of Protection in Burma: beyond the humanitarian mainstream ('Critical Asian Studies', Vol.44,No.2, 2012): www.criticalasianstudies.org
  • 2008 – Civil Society in Burma: The Development of Democracy Amidst Conflict (East-West Centre, Washington – ‘Policy Studies’ No.51, 2008) 
  • 2007 – Karen Nationalist Communities: The ‘Problem’ of Diversity (‘Contemporary Southeast Asia’ Vol.29, No.1, 2007 - ISEAS/National University of Singapore) – PDF
  • 2007 – Burma: The Changing Nature of Displacement Crises (Refugee Studies Centre, Oxford University, Working Paper No.39, 2007) – PDF
  • 2004 – Political Transition in Myanmar: A New Model for Democratization (‘Contemporary Southeast Asia’ Vol.26,No.4, 2004 – ISEAS/National University of Singapore) – PDF

 

 

Chapters in edited volumes

  • 2022 - Afterword (in 'Teaching for Peace and Social Justice in Myanmar: identity, agency and critical pedagogy', Bloomsbury - ed Mary Shepherd Wong)
  • 2015 - Governance and Political Legitimacy in the Peace Process (in 'Myanmar: the dynamics of an evolving polity', Lynn Reiner - ed. David Steinberg)
  • 2014 - 3 Chapters in 'Burma/Myanmar: where now?', NIAS Press Copenhagen - eds Mikael Gravers & Flemming Ytzen - PDF [with Charles Petrie] - PDF & PDF
  • 2010 – Karen Legitimacy and Conflict (in ‘Ruling Myanmar’, Australian National University/ISEAS Singapore - eds Trevor Wilson, Monique Skidmore & Nicholas Cheesman)
  • 2007 – Conflict and Displacement in Burma/Myanmar (in ‘Myanmar: The State, Society and the Environment’, Australian National University/ISEAS Singapore - eds Trevor Wilson & Monique Skidmore)
  • 2007 – Ceasefires and Civil Society: The Case of the Mon (in the ‘Exploring Ethnic Diversity in Burma’, NIAS Press - ed. Mikael Gravers) – PDF

 

 

Christian and Daoist studies

 

 

Reports

            available in English and Burmese languages

 

 

Shorter articles

           https://frontiermyanmar.net/en/the-dream-of-a-kayan-homeland

          Burmese language version: https://frontiermyanmar.net/mm/news/17253

  • January 2014 – Inside the Peace Process, 'The Myanmar Times' - PDF
  • September 2012 – From Ceasefires to Lasting Peace?, 'The Myanmar Times' - PDF
  • September 2012 – China as a New Aid Actor, 'The Global Times' 11-9-2012 - PDF [this is the original article, the published version being somewhat shorter]
  • March 2012 – Resolving Ethnic Conflicts in Burma - Ceasefires to Sustainable Peace, ‘The Irrawaddy’ - PDF
  • June 2011 – Burma’s New Challenge, ‘Pacific Forum CSIS’ (PacNet#32) – PDF
  • December 2010 – Post-Election Politics in Burma - Glimmers of Hope?, ‘The Irrawaddy’ – PDF
  • November 2010 – Voting, But Not As We Know It, ‘The World Today’ (Chatham House) – PDF
  • July 2010 – Making the Best of a Bad Election, ‘The Irrawaddy’ – PDF
  • May 2010 – Burma's Electoral Dilemmas, 'The World Today' (Chatham House) - PDF
  • March 2010 – Self-protection and Survival in Southeast Burma, ‘Humanitarian Exchange’ – PDF
  • November 2008 – Economics Crisis and Human Rights, ‘The World Today’ (Chatham House) – PDF
  • August 2008 – Electoral Dilemmas, Independent Mon News Agency commentary (4-8-2008) – PDF
  • July 2008 – Burma after the Cyclone: Making a Disaster Out Of the Cyclone, ‘The World Today’ (Chatham House) – PDF
  • April 2008 – Humanitarian Aid to IDPs in Burma: activities and debates, ‘Forced Migration Review’ (Refugee Studies Centre, Oxford University) – PDF
  • March 2008 – Prospects for Burma’s New Constitution, Independent Mon News Agency commentary (17-3-2008) – PDF
  • February 2008 – Mahn Sha La Phan: Resistance leader of Burma’s Karen people, ‘The Guardian’ obituary (18-2-2008) – PDF
  • December 2007 – Crisis on the Burma Border, ‘The Nation’ (20-12-2007) – PDF
  • October 2007 – Mon Nationalist Movements: insurgency, ceasefires and political struggle – paper presented at ‘Seminar on Discovery of Ramanndesa’, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, (11-10-2007), published by Mon Unity League (Bangkok, January 2008) – PDF
  • August 2007 – What lies ahead for Burma’s cease-fires, ‘The Nation’ (8-1-2007) – PDF
  • October 2006 – The Quest for Karen Unity, ‘The Irrawaddy’ – PDF
  • October 2006 – Border-based Insurgency: Time for a Reality Check, ‘The Irrawaddy’ online – PDF
  • September 2004 – Beyond the National Convention, ‘The Irrawaddy’ – PDF
  • November 2001 – Burma’s  Ex-Insurgents: The Mon Ceasefire and Political Transition, ‘Burma Debate’ (Vol. VIII, Fall 2001) – PDF - my first Burma publication!

 

 

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https://frogmortpress.substack.com

 

Copyright © 2009–2025 Ashley South.