Over the Borderline
Insight Myanmar10 Kesä 2025

Over the Borderline

Episode #353: Professor Lahra Smith, a political science professor specializing in East Africa at Georgetown University, argues that Myanmar’s current struggles must be seen within a global framework of colonial legacies, using Sudan as a comparative case. While acknowledging contextual differences, Smith shows how both countries were shaped by British colonial rule that hardened ethnic divisions, created infrastructure disparities, and entrenched political inequalities.

Sudan lies within Africa’s so-called "coup belt," illustrating a broader dissatisfaction with post-colonial governance and foreign interference. Like Myanmar, Sudan has suffered from military coups that initially promised reform but quickly descended into new forms of repression. Smith discusses how colonial policies divided Sudanese society along racial and religious lines, just as British colonialism in Myanmar entrenched ethnic and religious hierarchies that still drive conflict today.

Colonialism’s infrastructural and missionary legacies further marginalized Sudan’s peripheries, fostering grievances that exploded into civil wars and the eventual, troubled independence of South Sudan. Similarly, Myanmar’s marginalized ethnic regions remain flashpoints for conflict. Smith stresses the need to move beyond thinking in terms of static land borders and recognize the deeper regional and cultural continuities that colonial boundaries disrupted.

Ultimately, Smith emphasizes that identities and nations are constantly evolving, and that just drawing new lines on maps to replace the old, artificial, colonial ones will not solve the problems caused by the colonial experience. She stresses that genuine understanding requires recognizing this fluidity.

Jaksot(511)

Blood on the Lotus

Blood on the Lotus

Episode #302: We are joined by Jansen Stovicek, a former monk from the Czech Republic who spent many years in Myanmar as Ashin Sarana. He discusses the intersection of Buddhism and Myanmar's challengi...

17 Tammi 20252h 45min

Homeward Bound

Homeward Bound

Episode #301: “I want to invite everybody to see the Karen people not just as victims, but to experience the real beauty in the culture, the uniqueness, the simplicity.” These are the words of Saw Sha...

14 Tammi 20251h 44min

Revolutionary Road

Revolutionary Road

Episode #300: Three panelists explore the complexities of Myanmar’s revolution against military oppression, diving into its tactical, logistical, and humanitarian challenges. Our guests include Anthon...

10 Tammi 20251h 58min

Once Upon A Time

Once Upon A Time

Episode #299: Greg Constantine’s project on the Rohingya community is a profound exploration of both their suffering and resilience. Through years of dedicated storytelling, Greg has sought to shed li...

7 Tammi 20251h 35min

Coming To America

Coming To America

Episode #298: Maia Storm is an immigration attorney with over 25 years’ experience specializing in assisting refugees, particularly those from Myanmar. She began her career helping prisoners facing lo...

3 Tammi 20252h 24min

A Taste of Resilience

A Taste of Resilience

Episode #297: The vibrant flavors of Burmese cuisine have traveled far beyond the borders of Myanmar, embedding themselves into global food culture. Earlier this year, we convened a panel discussion t...

31 Joulu 20241h 59min

Of Unity and Uprising

Of Unity and Uprising

Episode #296: Azad, an American fighter who is supporting the resistance against the military, returns to the podcast to discuss the current situation in Chin State, and the Chin people’s struggle for...

27 Joulu 20241h 28min

Shaken, Not SIlenced

Shaken, Not SIlenced

Episode #295: "I was born on the sixth of the 8th of the '88; the famous '88! My parents were part of the student movement, but growing up with my grandmother, I didn’t know much until I was older. Th...

24 Joulu 20241h 58min

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