Over the Borderline
Insight Myanmar10 Jun 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.

Episoder(515)

Bonus Content: An Interview with The Bangkok Podcast

Bonus Content: An Interview with The Bangkok Podcast

We were honored to join our friends at The Bangkok Podcast to discuss the origins of our platform and how we've navigated the challenges of hosting discussions in the post-coup environment. We are sha...

13 Sep 202436min

Navigating a Mine Field

Navigating a Mine Field

Episode #267: Yèshua Moser-Puangsuwan discusses the profound impact of landmines in Myanmar with an equal mix of empathy and depth. He vividly describes how retreating soldiers have planted landmines...

10 Sep 20241h 46min

Namaste to Nowhere

Namaste to Nowhere

Episode #266: We are joined by Kimi Colney and Makepeace Sitlhou, journalists covering the humanitarian crisis and ethnic conflicts along the Indo-Myanmar border in India’s northeastern states. They d...

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Reading the Tea Leaves

Reading the Tea Leaves

Episode #265: Marc Batac's story is one of profound political transformation, reflecting the broader struggles of Southeast Asia. Born in the eastern regions of the Philippines, Marc's early exposure ...

3 Sep 20241h 53min

The Cure Lies Within

The Cure Lies Within

Episode #264: Shalini Sri Perumal delves into her expertise in community-based healthcare, particularly focusing on the integration of indigenous and traditional medicine among Burmese migrant women i...

31 Aug 20241h 33min

Passage to India

Passage to India

Episode #263: Sanjay Valentine Gathia weighs in on the complex India-Myanmar relationship, highlighting the historical context and evolving policies that have shaped it. He underscores the importance ...

27 Aug 20241h 18min

A Woman’s Place is in the Revolution

A Woman’s Place is in the Revolution

Episode #262: Hnin Thet Hmu Khin, a dedicated women's rights activist, reveals the often undocumented struggles and triumphs of women in Myanmar's revolution. Despite their widespread and committed pa...

24 Aug 20241h 53min

From The Ground Up

From The Ground Up

Episode #261: Saw Kapi delves into his journey and contributions to Myanmar's democratic and educational landscape. His story began with involvement in the 1988 student uprising against military rule,...

21 Aug 20242h 1min

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