Myanmar’s Failed Coup: A Roundtable Discussion

Summary

Why has the military junta that seized power in Myanmar on February 1 failed to gain popular support and legitimacy? How credible are attempts by the opposition to form an alternative government in exile? Have strikes and civil disobedience run their course? Why are those opposed to the military turning towards violent resistance? And what future scenarios might we expect to unfold in the months ahead?

In this conversation with NIAS Director Duncan McCargo, from a recent event co-hosted by the Danish Institute for International Studies and the New York Southeast Asia Network, four experts with extensive field experience in Myanmar share their views on the country’s current political quandary.

Speakers:

  • Ardeth Maung Thawnghmung, Professor and Chair of Political Science, University of Massachusetts, Lowell.
  • Myat The Thitsar, PhD candidate, University of Massachusetts, Lowell.
  • Liv Stoltze Gaborit, Postdoctoral researcher, Lund University and co-founder of Myanmar Action Group Denmark
  • Helene Maria Kyed, Senior researcher and head of research unit, Danish Institute for International Studies

You might also like these earlier Nordic Asia Podcasts on Myanmar here and here.

The Nordic Asia Podcast is a collaboration sharing expertise on Asia across the Nordic region, brought to you by the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies (NIAS) based at the University of Copenhagen, along with our academic partners: the Centre for East Asian Studies at the University of Turku, Asianettverket at the University of Oslo, and the Stockholm Centre for Global Asia at Stockholm University.

We aim to produce timely, topical and well-edited discussions of new research and developments about Asia.

About NIAS: www.nias.ku.dk

Transcripts of the Nordic Asia Podcasts: http://www.nias.ku.dk/nordic-asia-podcast

Your Host

Duncan McCargo

Duncan McCargo is an eclectic, internationalist political scientist, and literature buff: his day job is teaching global affairs at NTU in Singapore.

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