Josef Silverstein
Josef Silverstein (15 May 1922 – 29 June 2021) was an American academic known for his critiques of Myanmar's military leadership and his scholarship on Southeast Asian studies.[1]
Early life and education
[edit]Born in Los Angeles, Silverstein was the middle child of Frank Silverstein, an Army-Navy store owner, and Betty (Heymanson) Silverstein, a sales associate.[2]
Silverstein served in the merchant marine during World War II and the Korean War. He completed his bachelor's degree at the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1952, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and earned a Ph.D. in political science from Cornell University in 1960, specializing in Southeast Asia.[2]
Career
[edit]Silverstein began his academic career at Wesleyan University and later moved to Rutgers University, where he worked until his retirement as professor emeritus in 1992.[2][3] Silverstein's fieldwork included a Fulbright Scholarship in Rangoon in 1955 and academic positions in Burma, Malaysia, and Singapore.[2]
His major works include The Political Legacy of Aung San (1972), Burmese Politics: The Dilemma of National Unity (1980), and Burma: Military Rule and the Politics of Stagnation (1977). He was critical of Aung San Suu Kyi's political actions after her release from house arrest.[2]
Silverstein's focus on democracy and human rights in Myanmar led to his exclusion from the country for much of his career. He often met with opposition groups along the borders with Thailand and China, advising on federalism and constitutional law.[2]
Bibliography
[edit]- The Political Legacy of Aung San (1972)[4]
- Burma: Military Rule and the Politics of Stagnation (1977)[5]
- Burmese Politics: The Dilemma of National Unity (1980)[6][7]
- Independent Burma at Forty Years (1989)[8]
References
[edit]- ^ "In Memory of Professor Josef Silverstein (1922–2021)". Sojourn: Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia. 36 (3): iv–v. 2021. ISSN 1793-2858.
- ^ a b c d e f Mydans, Seth (2021-07-20). "Josef Silverstein, Scholar and Critic of Myanmar, Dies at 99". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ^ Hink, Heinz R. (1961). "Reviewed work: Les rapports entre le droit international public et le droit interne en Israel, Ruth Lapidoth". The Western Political Quarterly. 14 (2): 605–607. doi:10.2307/443628. JSTOR 443628.
- ^ Maung, Mya (Summer 1994). "Book reviews -- The Political Legacy of Aung San (Revised Edition) edited by Josef Silverstein". Pacific Affairs. 67 (2). Vancouver: 306. doi:10.2307/2759449. JSTOR 2759449. ProQuest 217670113. Retrieved 2024-08-25 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Clark, Margaret (July 1978). "Book Review: Burma: Military Rule and the Politics of Stagnation. Josef Silverstein. Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press, 1977, pp. 224". Political Science. 30 (1): 45–46. doi:10.1177/003231877803000104. ISSN 0032-3187.
- ^ Cady, John F. (May 1981). "JOSEF SILVERSTEIN. Burmese Politics : The Dilemma of National Unity, Pp. xii, 263. Rutgers University Press, 1980. $23.00". The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. 455 (1): 185–186. doi:10.1177/000271628145500129. ISSN 0002-7162.
- ^ Wiant, Jon A. (February 1982). "Burmese Politics: The Dilemma of National Unity. By Josef Silverstein. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press, 1980. xii, 263 pp. Selected Bibliography, Index. $23". The Journal of Asian Studies. 41 (2): 428–430. doi:10.2307/2055023. ISSN 1752-0401. JSTOR 2055023.
- ^ Taylor, Robert H. (August 1990). "Independent Burma at Forty Years: Six Assessments. Edited by Josef Silverstein. Ithaca: Cornell University, Southeast Asia Program, 1989. vi, 112 pp. $10.00(paper)". The Journal of Asian Studies. 49 (3): 708–709. doi:10.2307/2057839. ISSN 1752-0401. JSTOR 2057839.