Resistance and Democratic Resilience in Myanmar and Ukraine

Summary

A military coup in Myanmar in February 2021 and subsequent humanitarian crisis have largely fallen off the Western media’s news headlines, especially as the Russian invasion of Ukraine has captured attention in recent weeks. What is the current situation of the democratically elected government of Myanmar and the oppression of the Rohingya minority? What are the similarities between the military coup in Myanmar and the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022? How can the world address the crises of these two would-be democracies? Marcus Brand, International IDEA’s Head of Programme for Myanmar and former UN Development Programme Ukraine Director, speaks with Ralph Bunche Institute Director John Torpey about the parallels between the military coup in Myanmar and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including unexpected resistance, humanitarian crises and massive refugee flows, and possible optimism about what it means for the future of democracy.

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International Horizons

International Horizons is a podcast of the Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies that brings scholarly expertise to bear on our understanding of international issues. John Torpey, the host of the podcast and director of the Ralph Bunche Institute, holds conversations with prominent scholars and figures in state-of-the-art international issues in our weekly episodes.

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