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Myanmar (Burma) is in the process of a challenging transition—from a centralized, authoritarian, military-run political system to a pluralistic “disciplined-flourishing democracy;” from a socialist, then dirigiste economy to one more market oriented and open to foreign investment; from a society characterized by personalized power to institutional norms; from centralized media and social control to one more open; from a single dominant ethnic group to a more multicultural system; and from a skewed foreign policy to a more balanced approach to international affairs. This attempt at transition, in less than half a decade, is virtually unprecedented in Asia. Such a complex set of changes is difficult, inviting a clash of vested interests, historical memories, foreign pressures, and advocacy and resulting in asynchronous growth and change. Myanmar/Burma: Challenges of Transition explores the nature of these challenges, their likely trajectories, the roles of foreign pressures and planning, and the lessons that might be drawn from such a complex process. The course objectives are: (1) to understand the internal and external dynamics of political, socio-economic, and security change in a Southeast Asian democratizing state; (2) to examine the nature, process, and inherent difficulties of Myanmar/Burma’s democratic transition; and (3) to research and write an original paper on the challenges of transition in Myanmar of sufficient quality to merit submission to an academic journal. The course will be taught by a team of specialists on Myanmar. *This is a cross-listed course that can fulfill a requirement for International Development and Conflict Management. <a href="http://bit.ly/1bebp5s" target="_blank">Click here to see evaluations, syllabi, and faculty bios</a>