Ethnic and Religious Diversity in Myanmar - Contested Identities

One of the most comprehensive volumes on Myanmar's identity politics to date, this book discusses the entanglement of ethnic and religious identities in Myanmar and the challenges presented by its extensive ethnic-religious diversity.

Religious and ethnic conjunctions are treated from historical, political, religious and ethnic minority perspectives through both case studies and overview chapters. The book addresses the thorny issue of Buddhist supremacy, Burmese nationalism and ethnic-religious hierarchy, along with reflections on Buddhist, Christian and Muslim communities.

Bringing together international scholars and Burmese scholars, this book combines the perspectives of academic observers with those of political activists and religious leaders from different faiths. Through the breadth of its disciplinary approach, its focus on identity issues and its inclusion of insider and outsider perspectives, this book provides new insights into the complex religious situation of Myanmar.

List of contents

List of Figures
List of Contributors
Introduction, Madlen Krueger (University of Muenster, Germany) and Perry Schmidt-Leukel, University of Muenster, Germany)
Part I: Politics and Identities
1. The Making of a Fixed National Hierarchy of Ethnicity in Myanmar, Mikael Gravers (Aarhus University, Denmark)
2. Ethnic Minorities and Myanmar's Democratization, Nehginpao Kipgen (Jindal School of International Affairs, India)
3. Ne Win's Echoes: Burmanization Policies and Peace-building in Myanmar Today, Saw Eh Htoo (Payap University, Chiang Mai, Thailand)
Part II: The Case of Buddhism
4. Visual Culture and Identity: Ethnic and Religious Diversity in the Eastern Shan State, Klemens Karlsson (Chiang Mai University, Thailand)
5. Tempered Tantrism: Buddhism of Exception on the Shan Plateau, Jane M Ferguson (Australian National University, Australia)
6. Reflections on Religion and Identity: With a Particular Emphasis on Theravada Buddhism, Perry Schmidt-Leukel, University of Muenster, Germany)
7. Coexistence in Myanmar: Challenges and Prospects, Alexander Horstmann (Tallinn University, Estonia)
Part III: The Case of Christianity
8.Christianity in Myanmar. With a Particular Emphasis on its Indian Roots, Marja-Leena Heikkilä-Horn (Mahidol University International College Thailand)
9. Problems and Challenges facing Ethnic Diversity of Myanmar: A Socio-Historical Analysis from a Christian Perspective, Samuel Ngun Ling (Myanmar Institute of Theology, Myanmar)
10. Burmanization and Its Effects on the Kachin Ethnicity in Myanmar, Layang Seng Ja (Kachin Theological College & Seminary, Kachin State, Myanmar)
Part IV: The Case of Islam
11. Islam in Myanmar and Ethnic Diversity, Myint Thein, Al-Azhar (Islamic Institute of Myanmar, Peace Cultivation Network, Myanmar)
12. Citizenship Documentation of Myanmar and the Discrimination of Religious and Ethnic Minorities, Myo Win (SMILE Education and Development Foundation, Yangon, Myanmar)
13. Being Mon - Buddhist-Muslim Relations, Madlen Krueger (University of Muenster, Germany)
Postscripts
14. Tatmadaw's Coup in 2021 - the Return of Totalitarian Rule?, Mikael Gravers (Aarhus University, Denmark)
15. Cohabitation in Multi-Ethnic and Multi-Religious Contexts, Hans-Peter Grosshans (University of Muenster, Germany).
Index

About the author

Perry Schmidt-Leukel is Professor of Religious Studies and Intercultural Theology at the University of Muenster, Germany.Hans-Peter Grosshans is Professor of Systematic and Ecumenical Studies and Dean of Protestant Theology at the University of Muenster, Germany.Madlen Krueger is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Muenster, Germany.

Summary

One of the most comprehensive volumes on Myanmar’s identity politics to date, this book discusses the entanglement of ethnic and religious identities in Myanmar and the challenges presented by its extensive ethnic-religious diversity.

Religious and ethnic conjunctions are treated from historical, political, religious and ethnic minority perspectives through both case studies and overview chapters. The book addresses the thorny issue of Buddhist supremacy, Burmese nationalism and ethnic-religious hierarchy, along with reflections on Buddhist, Christian and Muslim communities.

Bringing together international scholars and Burmese scholars, this book combines the perspectives of academic observers with those of political activists and religious leaders from different faiths. Through the breadth of its disciplinary approach, its focus on identity issues and its inclusion of insider and outsider perspectives, this book provides new insights into the complex religious situation of Myanmar.

Foreword

Discusses the complex entanglement of ethnic and religious identities in Myanmar as social, political and religious challenges.

Additional text

This pivotal moment in Myanmar’s history poses the question of whether solidarity against military rule can produce a society with justice for all ethnic and religious groups. This volume illuminates both the potential of this movement and its challenges by centering the experiences of minoritized ethnic and religious groups and their negotiations of Burmese Buddhist dominance.

Product details

• Authors: Hans-Peter Großhans, Krue, Perry Schmidt-Leukel
• Assisted by: Hans-Peter Großhans (Editor), Grosshans Hans-Peter (Editor), Madlen Krueger (Editor), Samuel Ngun Ling (Editor), Perry Schmidt-Leukel (Editor), Schmidt-Leukel Perry (Editor)
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 31.12.2021
• EAN: 9781350187405
• ISBN: 978-1-350-18740-5
• No. of pages: 312
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Religion/theology > Other religions; Myanmar, RELIGION / Ecumenism & Interfaith, RELIGION / Buddhism / Theravada, Buddhism, Interfaith relations, Myanmar (Burma)