Historical Preconditions and Causes for the Political Development of Present-day Myanmar

International Conference

Held at the University of Passau, Southeast Asian Studies,
Dr.-Hans-Kapfinger-Straße 14 b, Room 314a, July 18 – 21, 2016

Financed by the Fritz Thyssen Stiftung

Organized by:
Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Korff
Chair of Southeastasian Studies
Prof. Dr. Oliver Hahn
Prof. for Journalism
Dr. phil.habil. Dagmar Hellmann-Rajanayagam
Reader for Southeastasian Studies
Secretariat: Ursula Junk

Myanmar is the northernmost member of ASEAN located between India and China. Currently, it undergoes a period of transition. Since the election victory of the NLD in 2015 it has even more come to the forefront of intrnational interest. However, research on Myanmar still remains on a low level not least due the self-isolation of the country for over 50 years. Not surprisingly, most publications and conferences turn on current political and social conditions and factors for the transformaton. Long term causes and backgrounds for social and ideological development of the country are hardly considered. Research on Myanmar in the German-speaking area, moreover, still focusses primarily on topics of cultural and social anthropology and linguistics.

One of the focal points of the Dept. of Southeast Asian Studies has been Myanmar since nearly 20 years. The Dept. has published several studies on the topic and conducted a number of conferences since 2007. It pursues a social science perspective with a comparative and historical approach. Current political processes are being analysed on the foil of pre-colonial and colonial conditions as well as the dynamics of the ASEAN region. Myanmar is not looked at in isolation, but within the context of the development of Southeast Asia and the region. In 2012 the ‚Wisssenschaftsforum Myanmar’ (WiMya Academic Forum Myanmar) was established with Rüdiger Korff as chairman. WiMya normally conducts two conferences per year. The next conference will take place at Passau from 18th to 21st July. It will mirror the state of the art of international research on Myanmar and will specifically look into the historical and political development of the country, viz. analyse the current dynamics in the light of longer term processes in Myanmar and Southeast Asia. There will be three foci:

1. Politics and society
2. History and historical legitimation
3. Media, public sphere and their significance for present-day Myanmar

Programme:

18th July          Arrival of speakers

18:00 Snacks and drinks at the Department (Dr.-Hans-Kapfinger Strasse 14b, Room 314)

Departure on 21st and 22nd July

List of Speakers: