Modern media: the Shan and their VCDs

Mai soong kha everyone...

Well, the search for Shan information, insight, studies and research continues.

And, over the past several months, it appears that I have tapped into (with the help of many, including the SCA_UK (see below) a growing torrent of interest on the Shan.

During another one of my late night searches, I stumbled across the paper of an academic acquaintance of mine - Jane Martin Ferguson - a Ph.D student dynamo who is focusing her research on the Shan and their lives along Thailand's northern border. More specifically, she is fascinated with their use of modern media, such as VCDs, to maintain, spread and promote their culture, traditional and modern, though a variety of mediums and methods. Personally, Jane is an exceptional individual, and one to watch in future academic circles. Her combination of on-the-ground experience, killer intellect, exuberance and prolific work rate are inspiring - awe inspiring. For a fledgling (more aptly self-interpreted as 'incapable') doctoral research wannabe, she is an inspiration. I hope that her research is going well, and that she has time to stop by and, if possible, tell us more about it.

Back to the point of this mini-post - the Shan and media, particularly VCDs. After reading one of Jane's many papers, I felt compelled to contact her and ask if it could be include - in part or in full - for everyone to enjoy. We have lucked out as she wholeheartedly accepted. So, for those of you interested in recent academic research on the Shan and media from a budding scholar, please click the title below for the entire paper. Alternative, for those looking to try before they buy, see the summary below (taken directly from Jane's paper) for a start.
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Digital Media in the Borderlands: National Media, Stateless Subjects, and Video Production at the Thai-Burma Border

by Jane M Ferguson

Abstract

While the Thai government under the Thaksin administration claims increasing vigilance of media piracy, and the Rangoon (Yangon) censor board strictly enforces its mores on Burmese media production, border areas have become a hotbed for independent media production and distribution. The platform of choice, particularly in historically under-represented languages, such as Shan, is the video compact disc (VCD). Based on ethnographic fieldwork carried out in a Shan village at the Thai-Burma border, this paper will discuss competing forms of media, and the implications of digital media production and consumption among stateless subjects in the borderlands.
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Gyan mah chan tha ba seh

Naw Liang