YOUTH MIGRATION AND STATE LEGITIMACY IN POST-COUP MYANMAR: A KACHIN STATE PERSPECTIVE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14456/apsr.2025.10Keywords:
Youth Migration, Political Instability, Economic Challenges, Social Influences, Labor Shortages, RemittancesAbstract
This study comprehensively examines youth migration from Kachin State, Myanmar, following the 2021 military coup, focusing on its socio-political and economic drivers and regional impacts. Using qualitative semi-structured interviews with 10 diverse participants, the research reveals that political instability, heightened safety concerns, and forced conscription by both the military junta and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) are the primary drivers of migration. Economic precarity, characterized by limited employment opportunities, low wages, rising living costs, and skill mismatches, further intensifies these pressures. While remittances offer crucial financial support to families and displaced people's businesses foster local resilience, significant labor shortages among skilled and unskilled youth hinder regional productivity and innovation, leading to brain drain. This study addresses critical gaps in the migration literature by analyzing an underexplored ethnic region, offering nuanced insights into the complex interplay between migration and state fragility and conflict. Policy recommendations are provided to restore political legitimacy, improve education, and foster inclusive economic development, ultimately leveraging migration's potential benefits.
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