Author Archives: Melissa Crouch

Renewed calls for constitutional change in Myanmar’s ‘military-state’

*This article first appeared in The East Asia Forum, 13 March 2019 and can be accessed here. Constitutional change was a 2015 election campaign promise of Myanmar’s National League for Democracy (NLD) and Aung San Suu Kyi. As the 2020 elections loom large, they are now revisiting the proposal to recapture the attention and support of the people.Continue reading “Renewed calls for constitutional change in Myanmar’s ‘military-state’”

The Death Penalty Paradox in Buddhist Myanmar

*This article first appeared in The Interpreter, 15 March 2019, and is available here. On my recent visit to Myanmar, I attended the commemoration ceremony of U Ko Ni, the former lawyer and legal advisor to the National League for Democracy. He was among the most vocal advocate for constitutional change in Myanmar. His death and the court case againstContinue reading “The Death Penalty Paradox in Buddhist Myanmar”

Book Launch: The Constitution of Myanmar

From 15-16 March, the ANU will host the biennial Myanmar Update in Canberra. As part of this event a book launch of “The Constitution of Myanmar” will be launched. Dr Nick Cheesman and Dr Björn Dressel from ANU will offer comments on the book followed by comments from the author, Melissa Crouch from the University of NewContinue reading “Book Launch: The Constitution of Myanmar”

Pre-orders now available: The Politics of Court Reform: Judicial Change and Legal Culture in Indonesia

Cambridge University Press will soon publish “The Politics of Court Reform: Judicial Change and Legal Culture in Indonesia”. In this volume, experts on Indonesian law and courts reflect on the growth and changes in the role and function of courts in Indonesia. Indonesia’s judiciary is a critical part of its democratic system. Since the transitionContinue reading “Pre-orders now available: The Politics of Court Reform: Judicial Change and Legal Culture in Indonesia”

Paperback now available: The Business of Transition

Cambridge University Press has recently published the paperback version of The Business of Transition: Law Reform, Development and Economics in Myanmar.This interdisciplinary volume offers a timely reflection on law, development and economics through empirical and comparative perspectives on contemporary Myanmar. The book explores the business that takes place in times of major political change through lawContinue reading “Paperback now available: The Business of Transition”

Pre-orders now available: The Constitution of Myanmar

Hart Publishing is pleased to announce that The Constitution of Myanmar is now available for pre-order. This timely and accessible book is the first to provide a thorough analysis of the 2008 Constitution of Myanmar (Burma) in its historical, political and social context. The book offers an in-depth exploration of the key elements of the 2008 ConstitutionContinue reading “Pre-orders now available: The Constitution of Myanmar”

Religious Education in Southeast Asia

In January 2019, a conference on Religious Education in Southeast Asia was held in Jakarta, organised by the Centre for the Study of Islam and Society (Pusat Pengkajian Islam dan Masyarakat, PPIM) of the State Islamic University Jakarta, UNDP and Convey Indonesia.The conference featured leading researchers on religious education from across Southeast Asia and was designedContinue reading “Religious Education in Southeast Asia”

UNSW Myanmar Research and Development Dialogue

From 4-8 February 2019 a group of academics affiliated with UNSW’s Institute for Global Development will be visiting Myanmar. The purpose of is to run a series of events and visits that facilitate dialogue on research and development between academics and local and international development actors. This includes a Research and Development Dialogue Workshop on Tuesday 5th February,Continue reading “UNSW Myanmar Research and Development Dialogue”

China’s Presence in Mainland Southeast Asia

The Association of Mainland Southeast Asia Scholars (AMSEAS) invites submission of abstracts to a Workshop on the following theme:China’s Presence in Mainland Southeast Asia TodayDate: Friday 21 June 2019Place: Sydney Southeast Asia Centre (SSEAC), University of Sydney The peoples of the mainland Southeast Asian countries of Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, have a longContinue reading “China’s Presence in Mainland Southeast Asia”