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The Micro in Motion: Examining Nonviolent Resistance in the Myanmar Civil Disobedience Movement

Hjälmered, Tilde LU (2025) FKVK02 20251
Department of Political Science
Abstract
This thesis examines how the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) in Myanmar
has employed nonviolent acts of resistance to challenge the military regime
following the 2021 coup. It does so by departing from the micro-sociology of
peace and conflict, with specific attention to the micro-sociology of nonviolent
resistance. Guided by qualitative content analysis, supported by both visual and
textual materials, four themes were developed that capture recurring patterns in
the data. They illustrate how the CDM has challenged the military through
symbolic defiance, performing dissent, using withdrawal as a form of disruption,
and through demonstrations, protests, signs, and songs. The findings show how
the strategic use of symbolism,... (More)
This thesis examines how the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) in Myanmar
has employed nonviolent acts of resistance to challenge the military regime
following the 2021 coup. It does so by departing from the micro-sociology of
peace and conflict, with specific attention to the micro-sociology of nonviolent
resistance. Guided by qualitative content analysis, supported by both visual and
textual materials, four themes were developed that capture recurring patterns in
the data. They illustrate how the CDM has challenged the military through
symbolic defiance, performing dissent, using withdrawal as a form of disruption,
and through demonstrations, protests, signs, and songs. The findings show how
the strategic use of symbolism, rituals, noncooperation and powerful interaction
rituals creates emotional energy, solidarity, and mobilizes the movement. This
thesis suggests that the micro-level acts employed by the CDM disrupt dominant
interaction rituals and pose a challenge to the authority, legitimacy and structural
organization of the military institution. The study moreover confirms previous
research, but expands on it by applying micro-sociology to further reveal the
mechanisms and dynamics of how the CDM operates and its tactics of nonviolent
resistance. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Hjälmered, Tilde LU
supervisor
organization
course
FKVK02 20251
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Myanmar, micro-sociology, Myanmar Military, nonviolent resistance, Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM)
language
English
id
9191283
date added to LUP
2025-08-08 11:23:07
date last changed
2025-08-08 11:23:07
@misc{9191283,
  abstract     = {{This thesis examines how the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) in Myanmar
has employed nonviolent acts of resistance to challenge the military regime
following the 2021 coup. It does so by departing from the micro-sociology of
peace and conflict, with specific attention to the micro-sociology of nonviolent
resistance. Guided by qualitative content analysis, supported by both visual and
textual materials, four themes were developed that capture recurring patterns in
the data. They illustrate how the CDM has challenged the military through
symbolic defiance, performing dissent, using withdrawal as a form of disruption,
and through demonstrations, protests, signs, and songs. The findings show how
the strategic use of symbolism, rituals, noncooperation and powerful interaction
rituals creates emotional energy, solidarity, and mobilizes the movement. This
thesis suggests that the micro-level acts employed by the CDM disrupt dominant
interaction rituals and pose a challenge to the authority, legitimacy and structural
organization of the military institution. The study moreover confirms previous
research, but expands on it by applying micro-sociology to further reveal the
mechanisms and dynamics of how the CDM operates and its tactics of nonviolent
resistance.}},
  author       = {{Hjälmered, Tilde}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The Micro in Motion: Examining Nonviolent Resistance in the Myanmar Civil Disobedience Movement}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}