Myanmar Musings

Myanmar Musings is the world's leading podcast with researchers and thinkers on issues relating to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the interviewees/guests and do not necessarily accord with those of the host or the Myanmar Research Centre.

Rights, Refusal, Revolution 01/17/2024

Rights, Refusal, Revolution What's the difference between a right and an opportunity in Burma, and how do people resist or refuse the blunt biopolitics employed by its military rulers? In this episode, Elliott Prasse-Freeman, Assistant Professer of Sociology and Anthropology at the National University of Singapore, discusses his new book Rights Refused: Grassroots Activism and State Violence in Myanmar, published by Stanford University Press, which investigates activists' lives in the years preceding the 2021 military coup, and after. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/29528038

Baptizing Burma and Religious Change 10/12/2023

Baptizing Burma and Religious Change Christianity is a hugely important minority religion in Myanmar and many Christians there follow the Baptist denomination. In a new book, Dr. Alex Kaloyanides, Associate Professor in Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, looks at the Baptist mission to Burma through a number of holy objects, from 1813 until 2013. In this episode we discuss the book Baptizing Burma, Alex's approach to writing and her experience following along with visiting baptists on the 200th anniversary of the founding of the American Baptist mission to Burma. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/28298501

Talking Along the Integral Margin 09/04/2023

Talking Along the Integral Margin Myanmar rulers and foreign experts often describe the country's economic reforms in the period following 2010 in glowing terms. In the book, Along the Integral Margin: Uneven Development in a Myanmar Squatter Settlement, author Stephen Campbell, Assistant Professor in the School of Social Sciences at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, takes readers into the lives of the labourers behind the much-lauded, yet terminally tragic, "transition", of the time leading to 2021. He discusses why Myanmar elites were beholden to modernisation theory, the nature of squatting, internal migration, debt and "informal" work at the edge of Yangon, based on fieldwork before the 2021 coup. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/27935190

The CDM Two Years On 08/25/2023

The CDM Two Years On What is the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) and how does it sustain itself, after more than two years of existence as a revolutionary strategy? What are the expectations and challenges felt by CDM participants, who refuse to work for military-ruled institutions in Myanmar? Samuel Hmung, PhD Student at the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs, at the Australian National University, discusses his ongoing doctoral work, and his separate research project into the CDM. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/27847788

2023 Economic Update 08/08/2023

2023 Economic Update Dr. Jared Bissinger, an independent development economist, talks off the back of his participation at the 2023 ANU Myanmar Update about the state of the Myanmar economy in 2023. Although some economic indicators have settled somewhat from the post-coup chaos, nearly all sectors appear to be in economic decline, and the ruling State Administration Council is rewinding or crippling most reforms made during 2011-2021 in order to further its rule at the expense of the average person, and the strength of the economy as a whole. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/27691776

Uncle Olive, the Opium Queen of Kokang 05/19/2023

Uncle Olive, the Opium Queen of Kokang Gabrielle Palluch, author of The Opium Queen: The Untold Story of the Rebel Who Ruled the Golden Triangle, published by Rowman & Littlefield, joins the show to discuss the remarkable life of Olive Yang. Born in the Kokang region in the 1920s, Uncle Olive was an enigmatic and influential figure in the history of her ancestral region: brother and sister to royalty, potential CIA collaborator, maybe drug smuggler, almost-definitely arms trader, cattle dealer and sponsor of celebrity film stars... She lived quite a life, and Gabrielle has dedicated over 200 pages to trying to sort out the fact from the fiction. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/26886474

International Relations In and Around Myanmar 04/26/2023

International Relations In and Around Myanmar In this episode we speak with Hunter Marston, PhD Candidate at the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs at the Australian National University and Adjunct Research Fellow at La Trobe Asia, about Myanmar's foreign policy and international relations in the context of the the overblown 'New Cold War' superpower environment, the Southeast Asia region as a whole, and in terms of the numerous actors inside Myanmar still vying for state power. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/26661309

Bystanders and the Resilience of Myanmar's Pro-Democracy Movement 04/03/2023

Bystanders and the Resilience of Myanmar's Pro-Democracy Movement Why has the pro-democracy movement in Myanmar been so resilient, even in the face of a hostile regime? In this episode, Mai Van Tran, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies and Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen, discusses her research on urban Myanmar's protest movements and contentious politics. She unpacks how, in her words, “the long-term resilience of the urban pro-democracy movement (in Myanmar) is one of the most impressive, and puzzling, among all cases of collective activism under authoritarianism”. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/26424885

Political Ecology & Violence in Burma 10/27/2022

Political Ecology & Violence in Burma What is the past and future of "ceasefire capitalism" for Myanmar's many vulnerable communities? Dr Kevin Woods, Fellow at the East-West Centre and Adjunct Assoiate Professor at the Department of Geography and Environment at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, discusses the connections between conflict, statebuilding, resource exploitation and more in this wide-ranging episode. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/24815892

Teaching Histories of Burma 10/21/2022

Teaching Histories of Burma What is the best way to teach the histories of Burma? How can students learn in an open and accepting environment and how can teachers work to promote reconciliation in the classroom? In this episode, teacher and anthropologist of education Dr. Rosalie Metro discusses her textbook on Burmese history, co-authored with Aung Khine, pedagogy and political values in the classroom. . /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/24761034

Dragon in the Golden Triangle 09/08/2022

Dragon in the Golden Triangle Cold War conflict had many permutations, by proxy or otherwise, in Southeast Asia. In one little-known 1960-61 incident, the armies of the Union of Burma and the People's Republic of China cooperated to dispel Kuomintang (KMT) troops that had settled in Shan State following the conclusion of the Chinese civil war. Dr Ngeow Chow-Bing of the University of Malaya joins us today to talk about this unusual military cooperation. In doing so, he throws light on what was to become known as the notorious 'Golden Triangle' area of narcotics armies from the 1970s on. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/24309516

Our Home in Myanmar 05/25/2022

Our Home in Myanmar Jessica Mudditt, an Australian author and journalist, discusses her recent book Our Home in Myanmar: Four Years in Yangon, in which she recounts working at a range of journalism outfits in the country, including the infamous military-owned and influenced Global New Light of Myanmar. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/23222519

Danny Fenster Debrief with Ben Dunant 01/29/2022

Danny Fenster Debrief with Ben Dunant Danny Fenster and Ben Dunant, two foreign journalists with Frontier Myanmar, reflect on leaving the country following the 2021 coup. Danny was arrested and spent 176 days in prison on bogus charges when he tried to fly out of Myanmar last year. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/21940307

Post-Coup and "Transition" Media 01/04/2022

Post-Coup and "Transition" Media What is the state of the media in Myanmar after the failure of "transition" and the realities of military subjugation? Are the roles of "local", "exile" and "international" media outlets changing? What about citizen journalists and visions for a federal democratic future? In this episode media veteran Lisa Brooten, Associate Professor in the College of the Arts and Media at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, tackles the big picture questions on the media in Myanmar in 2022. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/21673283

Decentralisation & Democracy 10/22/2021

Decentralisation & Democracy This syndicated episode from Asia Research News is a dive into how decentralisation could lead the way to democracy and peace in Myanmar. The podcast is a result of the , jointly supported by Global Affairs Canada and the International Development Research Centre, the IDRC. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/20902031

Early Career Researcher Workshop 2021 10/22/2021

Early Career Researcher Workshop 2021 Myanmar Research Centre member Mike Dunford announces that on December 9 and 10, the MRC at the Australian National University will be holding an online workshop for early career researchers from Myanmar and for those whose research focuses on Myanmar. To apply, send a current CV and a 300 word (maximum) summary of your current research project(s) to [email protected] with the subject "ECR workshop". For more info check https://www.facebook.com/ANUMRC/. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/20901785

Gender & Conflict in Myanmar Today 10/15/2021

Gender & Conflict in Myanmar Today In this syndicated episode from the podcast, we hear experts put forth their views on the connections between gender equality, democracy activism and anti-coup resistance in Myanmar today. This podcast is thanks to the Knowledge for Democracy Myanmar (K4DM) initiative, jointly supported by Global Affairs Canada and the International Development Research Centre. Featured experts include NGO Director May Sabe Phyu, researchers Professor Ismene Gizelis and Dr. Alexandre Pelletier, and think tank director Dr. Min Zaw Oo. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/20829590

Wither Education Reform? 10/15/2021

Wither Education Reform? What is the state of the education system in Myanmar and how has it been reformed in the last decade? What does the 1 February military coup mean for education reform going forward? Marie Lall, Professor of Education and South Asian Studies at the UCL Institute of Education, and author of the recent UCL Press book: Myanmar’s Education Reforms: A Pathway to Social Justice?, downloadable , addresses these questions and more. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/20826386

A Natter with ah nah 10/13/2021

A Natter with ah nah The podcast was launched in July this year, featuring long-form interview discussions with people inside and outside Myanmar who oppose the 1 February military coup. In this episode, ah nah hosts Suzanne and Ruth discuss their new show, their favourite episodes, and explain how the coup turned them from foreign teachers in Myanmar into activists. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/20801495

Bama Privilege and Solidarity 08/28/2021

Bama Privilege and Solidarity What is the connection between White & Burman/Bama privilege, industrial development, conflict and capitalism? How can different class and ethnic groups build solidarity in the current crisis? Is class politics ultimately behind ethnic politics in Myanmar – or can it solve it? Dr. Stephen Campbell and Dr. Elliott Prasse-Freeman discuss their recent article in the Journal of Contemporary Asia, “Revisiting the Wages of Burman-ness” to argue that materiality and capitalist exploitation are crucial to understanding the history and development of ethnicity in Myanmar. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/20290988

The Position of the USDP, 2015-2020 08/12/2021

The Position of the USDP, 2015-2020 The coup has complicated the analysis of Myanmar's 2020 general elections, but Constant Courtin, of the University of British Columbia, is digging deep into the role and performance of the USDP during its time in opposition. How do we make sense of the NLD/USDP victories and defeats in the 2020 election results? This seminar was recorded as part of the Myanmar Update 2021 conference at the ANU last month. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/20116640

Prison Departments & Crisis Contexts 08/11/2021

Prison Departments & Crisis Contexts Dr Tomas Martin discusses prisons in Myanmar in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the military coup and argues for conceptualising crisis as their enduring, perpetual context. This seminar was recorded as part of the Myanmar Update 2021 conference last month. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/20104121

Issues & Prospects for Economic Recovery 08/07/2021

Issues & Prospects for Economic Recovery Three economists from the Overseas Development Institute delve into assessing the sustainability of the Myanmar economy's current development model in light of COVID-19's effects, both domestically and in other nations, and in the current political context. This is a recorded seminar from the Myanmar Update 2021 conference held in July 2021. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/20063336

The Pendulum of Neutralism 08/06/2021

The Pendulum of Neutralism Dr Andrea Passeri of the University of Malaya and Hunter Marston, PhD Candidate at the Australian National University, go over the foreign policy of the Myanmar state from 2010-2020 and what characterises the country's approach to non-alignment, in particular. This seminar was recorded at the Myanmar Update 2021 conference. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/20054516

Struggle and Resilience of Fashion Workers 08/05/2021

Struggle and Resilience of Fashion Workers The garment manufacturing sector in Myanmar has strengthened with the political reforms of the last decade, offering jobs to millions of Myanmar workers. However, it has suffered huge contractions in the wake of the 1 February military coup, with associated indiscriminate murder of protesting workers and factory arson. In this talk given to the Myanmar Update 2021 conference, Sara Tödt of RMIT University talks about young garment workers and their experiences in an extremely tumultuous year. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/20041430

Microfinance through COVID-19 and the Coup 08/03/2021

Microfinance through COVID-19 and the Coup What is the microfinance ecosystem in Myanmar, what has it been achieving and how has it endured the COVID-19 crisis and the devastating military coup of 1 February? In this seminar at the Myanmar Update 2021 conference, Dr Russell Toth from the University of Sydney gives a detailed overview of all this and more. If you're microfinance minded, don't miss it. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/20015579

COVID-19's Impact on Maternal & Child Nutrition 08/01/2021

COVID-19's Impact on Maternal & Child Nutrition In this recording of a seminar from the ANU Myanmar Update 2021 conference last month, Dr Sophie Gaudet, an independent expert, discusses a recent survey undertaken on child and maternal nutrition in Yangon, Myanmar, including important findings for future public healthcare in Myanmar. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/19993433

Poverty, Food Insecurity and Social Protection under COVID-19 and the Coup 07/31/2021

Poverty, Food Insecurity and Social Protection under COVID-19 and the Coup In this presentation, Afke Jager, Myanmar Country Director for Innovations for Poverty-Action-Myanmar, talks about recent survey data on how people in Myanmar are strategising under the complex political and healthcare crises ongoing in the country. This is a recording of a talk given to the Myanmar Update 2021 conference at the Australian National University. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/19988669

Precarity and the Politicisation of State Aid before the Coup 07/29/2021

Precarity and the Politicisation of State Aid before the Coup Dr Gerard McCarthy of the National University of Singapore discusses a mixed-methods research project conducted by himself and three colleagues on how state aid assistance meant to ameliorate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic was perceived by people before the 1 February coup. He also answers questions on the coup and ethnic politics. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/19968554

Struggles of Ayeyarwady Fishermen due to COVID-19 07/28/2021

Struggles of Ayeyarwady Fishermen due to COVID-19 In this recorded seminar from the Myanmar Update 2021 conference, Dr Mie Mie Kyaw, an independent expert on water and fishery resources in Myanmar, talks about how the COVID-19 pandemic and infection control responses have affected people's livelihoods on the Ayeyarwady River. /episode/index/show/myanmarmusings/id/19957433

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