Aye Lei’s dissertation examines why some civil society organizations (CSOs) remain resilient despite state repression while others struggle to survive. Focusing on six women’s rights organizations in Myanmar and Thailand between 2020 and 2024, the study develops three original typologies that explain how CSOs adapt their funding strategies, digital practices, and advocacy approaches under varying levels of political repression. Drawing on qualitative comparative analysis, 30 semi-structured interviews, and documentary evidence, the dissertation demonstrates that organizational resilience is shaped not only by the repression but also by organizations’ strategic capacity to mobilize resources, navigate digital risks, and leverage transnational advocacy networks.
The dissertation makes theoretical, methodological, and empirical contributions to the study of civil society under authoritarianism. It advances a multidimensional understanding of organizational resilience by integrating insights from resource mobilization theory and transnational advocacy network scholarship. The findings show that resilience is a dynamic process of strategic adaptation rather than simply organizational survival, highlighting how domestic agency and international support interact to sustain civil society activism in highly restrictive political environments.
Aye Lei’s defense was chaired by Dr. Thomas Marois. Her supervisory committee consisted of Dr. Netina Tan (supervisor), Dr. Tony Porter, and Dr. Katie Boothe. The external examiner was Dr. Aim Sinpeng (University of Sydney).
Congratulations, Dr. Aye Lei Tun!
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