In 2015, Thailand implemented a comprehensive fisheries reform to address allegations of forced labour, trafficking, and illegal fishing. This paper conducts an institutional landscape review of the actors involved in the reform and their responses, mapping out the successes and gaps using a Social Protection Framework. The impact the reform has had on social protection for migrant workers is then examined through interviews with port workers and trafficked fishers. Close attention is paid to Burmese migrants who were trafficked onto Thai vessels to highlight the varying degrees of social protection (or lack thereof) for workers in the fishing sector. The paper argues that the policies of the Thai fisheries reform impact workers unevenly, and that vulnerability often depends on where the migrants work and where they are from. Not enough is being done to assist trafficked victims, particularly past the rescue stage.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(農学) / 甲第19044号 / 農博第2122号 / 新制||農||1032(附属図書館) / 学位論文||H27||N4926(農学部図書室) / 31995 / 京都大学大学院農学研究科地域環境科学専攻 / (主査)教授 縄田 栄治, 教授 舟川 晋也, 教授 白岩 立彦 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Agricultural Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

The Dallas-Forth Worth Metroplex (DFW) serves as a diverse resettlement location for globally displaced refugees. While research examines how the nation impacts refugee resettlement, studies that examine the role of the city and community in placemaking are still lacking. In city resettlement investigations, research often focuses broadly on advocacy and political movements rather than the impacts of local-level structures and policies. In this paper, I develop an evaluation model using Jenny Phillimore's categories for successful refugee resettlement that examines how structural barriers, community interactions, and resource accessibility affect space and place for refugee populations. Through an ethnography of Chin and Rohingya refugee communities in DFW, I explore the differences between community-settled and state-settled refugee groups and the idea of an integrated resettlement program. Additionally, I argue that refugees who choose their settlement location in the United States are empowered and thus have a stronger connection to their host community than state-settled refugees. For example, in interviews, the Chin emphasized their ownership of Lewisville and feelings of home, while the Rohingya expressed feelings of placelessness and dispossession in Dallas. As governments push towards an entirely privatized system of refugee resettlement, this research argues for an integrated method that draws upon federal resources and community connections. Through the experiences of Lewisville's Chin community, this research demonstrates the potential of such a program in the United States.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第21078号 / 工博第4442号 / 新制||工||1690(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院工学研究科社会基盤工学専攻 / (主査)教授 川﨑 雅史, 教授 宇野 伸宏, 准教授 山口 敬太 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DFAM

Le Myanmar traverse présentement une période de changements sans précédent. Des réformes politiques et économiques significatives sont en cours et touchent plusieurs sphères de la société, dont l’univers médiatique. Ce mémoire vise à analyser l’état et l’évolution de liberté de presse dans ce pays en transition démocratique. De nombreuses entrevues semi-dirigées avec des professionnels des médias ont été réalisées en 2014. La collecte d'information sur le terrain et a permis de constater que bien que des avancées importantes aient été faites pour favoriser la liberté de presse, de nombreux défis demeurent. Ils sont ici exposés.

This is an exploratory study which investigated the process by which banks' lending behaviour in Myanmar (Bunna) was influenced by the institutional environment and their responses towards them. The theoretical framework used in this study was primarily drawn upon Scott's new institutional theory. Since the theory focused on the convergent perspective rather than divergent perspective, the theory of Oliver's strategic responses to these institutional pressures, coercive, normative and mimetic, was incorporated in the theoretical framework development. The main method of data collection was interviews. NVIVO was used to analyse these interviewed data. However, descriptive statistics were also used to provide a comprehensive picture of the context being studied. The findings suggest that banks' always attempted to extemalise risks to borrowers. Their responses to institutional pressures were to conform but a range of other forms of resistance were also found. However, strong forms of resistance were uncommon. I have also identified the situations in which the banks would choose either strong or weak forms of resistance to institutional pressures. Such identifications may add understanding to the specific lending strategies that are developed in different circumstances. The study also contributed to closing the gap in banking literature through conducting research in the context of Myanmar, which was previously unexplored. In addition, it suggests areas needed to be improved for financial sector development in Myanmar.

Thesis advisor: Sarah Babb / Thesis advisor: Lisa Dodson / Through a qualitative thematic analysis of sixty-four semi structured interviews, this thesis focuses on the situation facing Burmese forced migrants in Thailand. In particular, I look at the ways in which forced migrants, their host government, and humanitarian actors negotiate the meaning of refugee status and what it means to be in a protracted space of transition. Findings for this study point to the ways in which the policies and norms of the Royal Thai Government and the offices of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees inadvertently interconnect to complicate the space for refugee protection. The paper also finds that refugee status can be gained or lost through interactions between asylum seekers and various parties on the Thai Burma border. Certain actors within the refugee community and among local and humanitarian authorities play the role of gatekeepers, granting access to a variety of services and protection at a cost and excluding those who cannot pay the cost. Underlying this context of asylum are themes of extreme repression and resistance that have implications not only for the lives of those who seek refuge, but also for notions of sovereignty and citizenship. / Thesis (MA) — Boston College, 2009. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Sociology.

De longue date, la Birmanie a connu des codifications officielles variées telles que les Dhammathats, le Code birman provenant de la codification indienne de la Common Law et les compilations de lois et de jurisprudence. En revanche, le droit birman de la famille appliquait le principe de la personnalité des lois, se trouvant ainsi exclu de toute codification. Or, depuis l’adoption de la Constitution birmane de 2008, le Parlement birman est désormais compétent pour légiférer dans ce domaine du droit. Dans le même temps, le droit des contrats, le droit des biens et le droit des sociétés inclus dans le Code birman sont devenus désuets au regard de la pratique des affaires locales. Ainsi, la Birmanie cherche désormais à moderniser son droit en vue d’assurer une sécurité juridique et un État de droit. C’est pourquoi, en se fondant sur ces objectifs, une codification est opportune dans le domaine du droit civil. Si l’unité politique de la Birmanie est la priorité des Birmans, une codification telle qu’un Code civil, permettrait une unité du droit menant ainsi à cet objectif. Dans ce contexte, le Code civil français, figure de proue dans la codification, serait une source d’inspiration non négligeable dans l’élaboration d’un tel projet. / For long-time, Myanmar has experienced official and various codifications such as Dhammathats, Burma Code related to the Codification of Indian Common Law, compilations of law and case law. However, Myanmar Family law applied personal law and was excluded of any codification. Since the adoption of Myanmar Constitution 2008, Myanmar Parliament has jurisdiction to enact in this field of law. In the meantime, Contract law, Property law and Company law, included in Burma Code, are now obsolete with regard to local business practice. Thus, Myanmar is now seeking to modernize its law to ensure legal certainty and rule of law. Therefore, based on these purposes, codification of Myanmar civil law is timely and welcome. If the Political unity is the current priority for Myanmar people, codification such as Civil Code provides Legal unity leading to that objective. In this context, French Civil Code, figurehead in codification, will be a significant inspiration for the project development.

This study aims to search for patterns that demonstrate power relations. It specifically seeks to identify patterns in the power relations in the Rohingya conflict and understand the established power relations at different levels in society, which could provide a picture of the social world within the context of historical, ethnic, cultural, religious and political circumstances. Moreover, this study illustrates the Rohingya population’s experience with relations of power. The ongoing conflict in Myanmar, which is based on religion, ethnicity and politics, is seemingly without any solution. Myanmar is depicted as a country that has lost both hope and legitimacy for the political system and has reduced chances to establish a society in which all the minorities are included across the spheres of society. Finding a bright future for the Rohingya population might be difficult; nevertheless, this study seeks to enhance the understanding of the ongoing conflict and the underlying power relations.

Myanmar remained largely closed to the world through political instability for several years, when it continued to suffer terribly at the hands of nature that remained largely unknown. Of note is the period between 2008 and 2013, during which the country suffered at least eight major natural calamities that killed more than 141,000 people and affected 3.2 million. The worst of these was Cyclone Nargis in May 2008 that killed more than 130,000. With an estimated $4 billion in damages, Nargis remains the deadliest and most destructive named cyclone ever to have occurred in the North Indian Ocean. Recent studies have shown that, due to increased greenhouse gases and aerosol loading in the atmosphere, more and stronger tropical cyclones (TCs) in the last three decades are tracking eastwards toward the Indochina peninsula. Unfortunately, the Burmese lack the capacity to deal with the impacts of such storms. Myanmar was left behind as the world made significant technological and industrial advancement; but agriculture, which employs at least 65% of the active labor force, has remained the backbone of the Myanmar economy – an industry that is heavily reliant on monsoon rainfall. The pre-monsoon TC season in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) precedes the onset of the Myanmar monsoon but sometimes the two (i.e.TC formation and the monsoon onset) occur in unison. This work studied the mechanism by which the Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) modulates the Myanmar monsoon onset and TC activity collectively (i.e. ISO-Onset-TC connection). Avoiding TC destruction at the beginning of the planting season is crucial, so is the monsoon onset date critical for planning. Additional understanding of the aforementioned ISO-Onset-TC connection could provide further insight into predicting the Myanmar monsoon onset and aid in disaster planning for TC impact. This research is part of a two-year NASA funded project to study extreme climate and weather events.