ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with an exploration of what constitutes civil society in the Myanmar context and discusses the historical development of civil society in Myanmar. It examines the reforms that have enabled civil society organisations (CSOs) to take on new mandates and considers the roles CSOs played in engaging the Thein Sein government. The chapter analyses the opportunities and tensions that may influence the relationships between civil society and the National League for Democracy (NLD) government, which remains constrained by the military's on-going central role in Myanmar's politics and economy. Civil society can be defined as the space outside the family, the state and the market in which people come together to pursue shared interests. A key area where CSOs engaged with the Thein Sein government was education policy, although the relationship was often fraught. Land rights are another area where CSOs and the government came into conflict, although the government was responsive to some citizen demands.
