Table of Contents: Authors? Biographies..... Introduction..... Chapter One: Isolation chosen or endured? A Burmese history of isolationist withdrawals since Independence: 1 - Neutralism, Insurgency and Autarchy: Burma?s uneasy relations with the outside world (1948-1988... 2 - Enter the SLORC: a tactical breaking out of isolation throughout the 1990s..... The entrenchment of the Burmese junta: the return of nationalist hardliners since 2003: 1 - Depayin crackdown and its regional implications (2003)... 2 - Khin Nyunt?s sacking and the purge of the ?MI” (2004)... 3 - Naypyidaw?s transfer and the isolation within..... Chapter Three: The Politics of ?Isolationism without Isolation”: 1 - Backing away from ASEAN (2006-2007)... 2 - Limits to the Sino-Burmese partnership... 3 - Cautiously gentling with India... 4 - Diversifying its partnerships outside its direct neighbourhood..... Conclusion.....References