What is it about?
This chapter compares recent efforts by legislators in the ‘electoral authoritarian’ regimes of Cambodia and Myanmar to control critical narratives by civil society, particularly international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), aimed at the ruling governments. The Cambodian government passed a 2015 law governing the actions of both domestic and international civil society organizations despite sustained criticism from various stakeholders. Myanmar’s earlier attempts to constrain international civil society organizations and more recent developments undertaken before the 2021 military coup, and responses from domestic and international critics are explored.
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Why is it important?
The international community is witnessing the increased use of law by states to regulate social movements and civil society. The chapter draws observations from both cases about how elites justify such legislation, what form the legislation takes, and what the ensuing debates suggest for regional trends in Southeast Asia.
Perspectives
How do civil society actors continue to work under authoritarian political environments? Further comparative analysis on the trends, similarities, and areas of difference should prove fruitful in research on how civil society responds under varied authoritarian conditions.
Dr Melissa Curley
University of Queensland
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This page is a summary of: Governing the Limits of Civil Society in Cambodia and Myanmar, June 2022, Taylor & Francis,
DOI: 10.4324/9781003256809-16.
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