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(509)

The Great Escape

The Great Escape

Episode #238: Helene Maria Kyed, a senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies. sheds light on the phenomenon of military defections since the 2021 coup. Historically, defectio...

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Sketching Out the Journey

Sketching Out the Journey

Episode #237: Dragos Badita, a seeker of wisdom and a skilled artist from Romania, embarked on a transformative journey to Myanmar in 2019. His desire to delve deeper into Buddhism and meditation led ...

17 Touko 202457min

Debbie Stothard

Debbie Stothard

Episode #236: Debbie's life has been a remarkable journey, spanning continents and causes, and fueled by an unwavering commitment to activism and human rights. Born in Malaysia, Debbie’s early experie...

14 Touko 20242h 1min

At the Crossroads of Conflict

At the Crossroads of Conflict

Episode #235: Peter Morris shares his informed and detailed views on the ongoing challenges and the imminent potential of Myanmar's Spring Revolution. A lawyer and journalist by trade, Morris discusse...

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Beyond the Barricades

Beyond the Barricades

Episode #234: Ye Htet joins the podcast to discuss his nuanced and evolving perspective on the efficacy and philosophy of non-violence in the face of Myanmar's turbulent political climate. Initially s...

7 Touko 20242h 24min

Workers Strike Back

Workers Strike Back

Episode #233: Jeff Vogt, Legal Director of the Solidarity Center and member of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Governing Body, discusses significant labor issues in Myanmar since the 2021 ...

3 Touko 202456min

No Diplomatic Immunity

No Diplomatic Immunity

Episode #232: Kasit Piromya exemplifies a life dedicated to the service of his country and human rights. From a long-standing career as a Thai diplomat to a post-retirement shift into politics, Khun K...

30 Huhti 20241h 28min

An Outsized Influence (Emergency Edition)

An Outsized Influence (Emergency Edition)

In the charged atmosphere following Myanmar's 2021 military coup, a young Burmese, known as Little Activist on Twitter, radically changed from his previous political apathy to a total engagement in ac...

26 Huhti 202455min

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