Journal article

Health as a bridge to peace in Myanmar's Kayin State: 'working encounters' for community development

Anne Decobert

Third World Quarterly | Taylor & Francis (Routledge) | Published : 2020

Abstract

This article explores ‘health as a bridge to peace’ in Myanmar’s Kayin State. It focuses on an Auxiliary Midwife training programme, which has created partnerships between actors historically divided by decades-long conflict. Drawing on ethnographic research, the article highlights the agency of community-level service providers, who are often overlooked in conventional approaches to peacebuilding. It demonstrates that community health workers are challenging top-down liberal approaches to peacebuilding and advancing an alternative approach to development and peace in their areas–one that emphasises systemic change and recognition of non-state governance systems. The shared lexicon and stand..

View full abstract

University of Melbourne Researchers

Grants

Funding Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a University of Melbourne Early Career Researcher grant.