RCSD The Regional Center for Social Science and Sustainable Development

22/12/2025

The Regional Center for Social Science and Sustainable Development (RCSD), Faculty of Social Sciences at Chiang Mai University is inviting applications for a six-day training workshop on Environmental Justice: Rethinking Knowledge, Power, and Inequality in the Context of Climate Change and Agrarian Transitions in Southeast Asia, supported by the Association for Asian Studies (AAS-in-Asia) and the Sida - Styrelsen för Internationellt Utvecklingssamarbete Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). The workshop will take place 23-28 January 2026 at Chiang Mai University. The program brings together ~15–18 graduate students, early-career scholars, practitioners, civil society actors, and media from Southeast Asia for lectures, case studies, discussions, and a field trip focused on environmental justice, climate change, power, and inequality.

The second workshop is open to all applicants whose qualifications meet the criteria, including—but not limited to—those who were not selected in the first round. It also welcomes new applicants. Previous applicants may resubmit the same materials or submit revised abstracts or statements; however, all applicants are required to complete the full application process.

Full or partial support for travel, accommodation, meals, and materials will be provided.

Application deadline: 4 January 2026.

To begin the application process, please follow the link: https://rcsd.soc.cmu.ac.th/uncategorized/call-for-applications-environmental-justice-workshop-rethinking-knowledge-power-and-inequality/

19/12/2025

RCSD invites the public to join a book launch and author talk for *Worldly Engagements: Buddhist Monasticism and Masculinity among the Tai Lue of Southwest China* by Roger Casas on Tuesday, 23 December, 10:00 am–12:00 pm at the Subaltern Meeting Room, Faculty of Social Sciences, Chiang Mai University.

The book examines how everyday behaviors of Tai Lue Buddhist novices and monks—often viewed as inappropriate or unacceptable—are integral to local monastic practice and the formation of ideas and practice of masculinity. Casas highlights how temple life serves as a space for youth to balance family, religious expectations, and broader social influences, including the strong influence of Thai Buddhism. Casas has conducted research among the Tai Lue since 2004 and has held academic positions in Austria, China, Thailand, and Japan.

for a full description of the book, please follow the link:
https://rcsd.soc.cmu.ac.th/event/book-launch-worldly-engagements-with-roger-casas/

16/12/2025

The Committee of the International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies is pleased to announce that ICBMS 5 will be held at Chiang Mai University from 14 to 16 August 2026.

Myanmar stands at a critical juncture. The country faces protracted political stalemate, armed conflict, economic decline, and humanitarian crisis. Yet amid fragmentation and violence, communities continue to build alternative futures. Local organizations, resistance groups, and civil society actors across the country are creating new forms of governance, social movements, and civic practice that challenge dominant narratives of nation-building. At the same time, Myanmar's trajectory is shaped by shifting geopolitical forces across Asia and beyond, as regional and global powers influence its political economy, resource frontiers, and conflict landscape.

ICBMS 5 seeks to foster scholarship and dialogue that advances understanding of these dynamics. The conference will create space for examining how political imagination emerges and takes hold, how solidarity forms across ethnic, social, and cultural divisions, and how diverse communities articulate shared, common aspirations while maintaining their distinct voices. We welcome work that engages with both the constraints of the present moment and the possibilities that continue to emerge from below.

We invite scholars, researchers, activists, and practitioners working on Myanmar-related issues to join us in Chiang Mai. Guidelines for the submission of abstracts, panel proposals, and roundtable proposals will be announced soon.

Read the full list of conference themes and stay up to date at burmaconference.com
Further updates and key dates will be announced soon!

11/12/2025

Please join us at the 4th floor meeting room of the Operations Building, Faculty of Social Sciences, Chiang Mai University on 16 Dec from 10 am to noon for launch of the book "Reproducing Revolution: Women's Labor and the War in Kachinland" with author Jenny Hedstrom and a Kachin panel discussion.

In Reproducing Revolution, Jenny Hedström explores the Kachin revolution in Myanmar from the perspective of female soldiers, female activists, and women displaced by the violence in northern Myanmar. Hedström argues that the household is an inherently gendered, militarized, and political space that impacts, and is in turn impacted by, the external conflict with which it coexists. In this context, women's everyday labor—the gendered work of childcare, farming, fighting, and forging connections both across households and between the household and the army and the nation—is key to revolutionary survival. Hedström calls this labor militarized social reproduction, and in Reproducing Revolution she demonstrates that such labor is critical to the military effort, and that warfare itself is shaped through everyday domestic action.

08/12/2025

RCSD, in partnership with Asia Justice and Rights - AJAR, presents "Stitches of Strength" an exhibition highlighting narratives of resilience, memory, and hope shared by Rohingya women. Through visual and material expressions, the exhibition explores lived experiences of displacement and survival while inviting visitors to reflect on the social boundaries shaping perceptions of “self” and “other.”

The exhibition runs from 11–19 December 2025 at the Entrance Hall of Chiang Mai University Library. Guided tours in English, Thai, and Burmese will be offered on 11 December at 13:30 and 17 December at 13:30. Light refreshments provided. Open to the public.

Read more through the link: https://rcsd.soc.cmu.ac.th/event/stitches-of-strength-a-quilt-exhibition/

02/12/2025

Proposal submission deadline extended to December 10.

🚨 AAS and LUMS want to ensure that everyone who wants to apply for has the opportunity to do so—so we are *extending* the proposal submission deadline to December 10. Virtual and hybrid presentation options are available!

bit.ly/AIA2026

01/12/2025

RCSD at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Chiang Mai University invites registration for an online seminar titled “Researching Forced Displacement Issues in Southeast Asia” on December 15, 2025 from 10:00 to 12:00 (Thailand time).

The seminar is part of RCSD’s ongoing research programme on forced displacement, supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC / CRDI). The event will feature a panel of experts presenting and discussing various forms of displacement and the responses of communities and states across Southeast Asia — from urban refugees to displacement caused by development projects and environmental change. With participants from different countries and academic backgrounds, the seminar aims to deepen understanding of forced displacement, legal frameworks, human rights, and ethical dimensions of research. Interested readers are encouraged to follow the link to the RCSD website for detailed information and to register online:

https://rcsd.soc.cmu.ac.th/event/online-seminar-researching-forced-displacement-issues-in-southeast-asia/

06/11/2025

Call for Applications: Training Workshop on Environmental Justice in Southeast Asia

The Regional Center for Social Science and Sustainable Development (RCSD), Faculty of Social Sciences, Chiang Mai University, invites applications for a five-day training workshop on “Environmental Justice: Rethinking Knowledge, Power, and Inequality in the Context of Climate Change and Agrarian Transitions in Southeast Asia,” to be held 8–12 December 2025 at Chiang Mai University.

Supported by the Cultivating the Humanities & Social Sciences and Supporting Underrepresented Scholars of Asia (CHSS) program of the Association for Asian Studies, Inc. (AAS) and the Sida - Styrelsen för Internationellt Utvecklingssamarbete (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency), the workshop aims to build a regional community of researchers and practitioners exploring environmental justice and agrarian transformation across the Mekong and Southeast Asia.

Through lectures, discussions, case-based learning, and a field trip, participants will examine how agrarian change, climate adaptation, and extractive development reshape environments and livelihoods, and how diverse forms of knowledge and power influence environmental governance and justice.

Eligibility: Graduate students, early-career scholars, independent researchers, and practitioners from Southeast Asia (especially Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam).

Support: Selected participants will receive full or partial funding (travel, accommodation, meals, materials).

Application deadline: 15 November 2025
Notification of selection: 18 November 2025
Workshop dates: 8–12 December 2025

For full description and procedures on how to apply online, follow the link: https://rcsd.soc.cmu.ac.th/news-announcements/call-for-applications-workshop-on-environmental-justice-rethinking-knowledge-power-and-inequality-in-the-context-of-climate-change/

04/11/2025

Report Launch: Mental Health, Gender, and Conflict in Chin State
Friday, 14 November 2025, 3:00–5:00 PM
Subaltern room, Faculty of Social Sciences, Chiang Mai University

Organized by Thehills Myanmar (THM) and Chin State Academic Research Network (CSARN), with support from the Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO).

This event marks the launch of the first study exploring how conflict, gender, and culture shape mental health in Myanmar’s Chin State. Conducted amid ongoing conflict using trauma-informed, participatory methods, the research draws on focus groups, interviews, and body-mapping in four townships. Findings highlight widespread distress, gendered silences, and faith-based understandings of suffering that both help and hinder healing.

The study shows how women, LGBTQIA+ people, displaced families, and persons with disabilities face layered exclusion in the context of violence and poverty. It also reflects CSARN’s model of community-rooted, locally led research that connects emerging Chin scholars with mentors and global networks.

The report calls for localized mental health responses and reimagines how care and knowledge can be built from within conflict-affected communities.

Speakers:
Sena Galazzi | Dr. Lian | Lily | Thawn N. Lian | Dr. Sang | Dr. Matthew Yoxall | Dr. Mary

for a full description of the event please follow the link: https://rcsd.soc.cmu.ac.th/event/report-launch-mental-health-gender-and-conflict-in-myanmars-chin-state/

24/10/2025

🌆𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐔𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐧 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 & 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐬𝐢𝐚🌏
Are you passionate about the future of cities in the Global South? 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒏 𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 (𝑪𝑮𝑭𝑫) at the 𝑨𝒔𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑰𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒏𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒚 (𝑨𝑰𝑻), Thailand, in collaboration with the 𝑴𝒂𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒓𝒃𝒂𝒏 𝑪𝒂𝒍𝒄𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒂 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒉 𝑮𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒑 (𝑪𝑹𝑮), India, invites applications for an upcoming online course on “𝗨𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝘀𝗶𝗮.” 𝑇𝘩𝑖𝘴 𝘤𝑜𝘶𝑟𝘴𝑒 𝑤𝘪𝑙𝘭 𝘣𝑟𝘪𝑛𝘨 𝘵𝑜𝘨𝑒𝘵ℎ𝘦𝑟 𝑎𝘤𝑎𝘥𝑒𝘮𝑖𝘤𝑠 𝑎𝘯𝑑 𝑝𝘳𝑎𝘤𝑡𝘪𝑡𝘪𝑜𝘯𝑒𝘳𝑠 𝑡𝘰 𝘤𝑟𝘪𝑡𝘪𝑐𝘢𝑙𝘭𝑦 𝑒𝘹𝑝𝘭𝑜𝘳𝑒 ℎ𝘰𝑤 𝑡𝘰𝑑𝘢𝑦’𝑠 𝑑𝘦𝑐𝘪𝑠𝘪𝑜𝘯𝑠 𝑎𝘯𝑑 𝑐𝘩𝑎𝘭𝑙𝘦𝑛𝘨𝑒𝘴 𝘢𝑟𝘦 𝘴ℎ𝘢𝑝𝘪𝑛𝘨 𝘵ℎ𝘦 𝘤𝑖𝘵𝑖𝘦𝑠 𝑜𝘧 𝘵𝑜𝘮𝑜𝘳𝑟𝘰𝑤
Through interdisciplinary insights and case studies, participants will examine what lies ahead for South and Southeast Asian cities and how to envision more inclusive and resilient urban futures.
𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 📔
Urban centers across South and Southeast Asia are at a crossroads. Rapid urbanization, climate change, migration, and social inequalities are all colliding to shape new urban realities. This course provides a platform to analyze these trends in depth. Guided by leading scholars and experienced practitioners, participants will engage with key debates on the future of Asian cities. Discussions will span from grassroots perspectives of the urban poor to the grand visions of planners, allowing participants to understand the forces transforming city life. By the end of the program, participants will have gained a nuanced understanding of the complex factors driving urban change and the tools to critically evaluate emerging urban scenarios.
𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬 💡
The curriculum is organized around several core themes that include:
🏙️ 𝑈𝑟𝑏𝑎𝑛 𝑠𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑛 𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑠
🏙️ 𝑀𝑖𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛, 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑢𝑟𝑏𝑎𝑛 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒
🏙️ 𝑈𝑟𝑏𝑎𝑛 𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒
(𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲: These themes are not exhaustive; the course will also touch on related issues such as urban governance, infrastructure development, “smart city” visions versus lived realities, and the environmental sustainability of rapidly expanding cities.)
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘂𝘀!!
📩 Apply now and be part of the change: [email protected]

📲𝑪𝙤𝒏𝙩𝒂𝙘𝒕: +91 80748 65148

09/10/2025

AAS-in-Asia 2026 to Take Place at Lahore University of Management Sciences—submit your organized panel session or roundtable proposal by November 13!

https://www.asianstudies.org/aas-in-asia-2026-to-take-place-at-lahore-university-of-management-sciences/

03/10/2025

"Thabyay: Creative Resistance in Myanmar" Film Screening & Panel Discussion: “Future Election in Myanmar”

7 October 2025 | 5:00–7:45 pm, Dhani Bholyodhin Conference Room, Faculty of Social Sciences, Chiang Mai University

RCSD invites students, scholars, civil society, media, and the public to a special screening of *Thabyay: Creative Resistance in Myanmar*, followed by a panel discussion on the future of elections in Myanmar.

The documentary (60 min) highlights artists, writers, and community organizers who use music, poetry, art, and communication as tools of resistance and memory amid conflict. It provides a powerful, human-centered view of courage, fear, and the struggle for democracy.

This event is hosted by RCSD with support from partners in Myanmar studies and human rights.

For a full description of the film, discussion, and program for the evening, please follow the link: https://rcsd.soc.cmu.ac.th/event/thabyay-film-screening-panel-discussion-future-election-in-myanmar/