In 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic changed things everywhere. It is still too early to say what the full effects of the pandemic will be on Myanmar. And to further exacerbate this, in February 2021, the Tatmadaw, Myanmar’s Armed forces staged a coup seizing power from the democratically elected and incumbent government, the National League for Democracy. What has followed has seen mass demonstrations on the streets, brutal crackdowns, economic downturn and the redrawing of many long-held boundaries, be it social or political. This year’s update brings together a diverse list of experts who address the many social issues that have emerged from both the pandemic and the coup and their long term consequences for Myanmar.

About the Update Series

The Myanmar (Burma) Update is a major venue at which to present cutting-edge scholarship on political, social and economic affairs in Myanmar. Now in its third decade, it is one of only two longstanding, regularly held international conferences on the country, and is alone in routinely publishing papers presented at the conference. It is one of a range of Update conferences held at the Australian National University on countries across Asia and the Pacific. Details of previous Myanmar Updates and publications are available at the ANU Myanmar Research Centre website: https://myanmar.anu.edu.au. For further information, please contact the conveners at myanmar.research@anu.edu.au

• Dinith Adikari, PhD Candidate, School of Culture, History and Language, ANU College of Asia-Pacific
• Justine Chambers, Visiting Fellow, School of Culture, History and Language, ANU College of Asia-Pacific
• Nick Cheesman, Director, ANU Myanmar Research Centre, ANU
• Michael Dunford, PhD Candidate, School of Culture, History and Language, ANU College of Asia-Pacific
• Charlotte Galloway, Honorary Professor, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences
• Jonathan Liljeblad, Senior Lecturer, ANU College of Law

The preliminary conference program is available here.

The Myanmar Update 2021 is supported by the ANU College Of Asia and the Pacific and the International Development Research Centre, Canada.

Register now