04.03.2024International Burma Studies Conference

This was the first International Burma Studies Conference held in a hybrid format since the 2021 coup in Myanmar, which has profoundly affected the lives of people in every part of the country. The conference, at which there were nearly 250 participants, allowed for scholars to exchange ideas in a supportive environment. Sixteen Burmese scholars also received grants to travel to Zurich and present at the conference, of which more than half were women or junior researchers.

Papers presented at the conference spanned a large range of topics, including he status of education in Myanmar, resource politics, Buddhism and religion, displacement and migration, arts and culture, climate change, international relations, ethnic and identity politics, land governance, conflict and violence, and gender justice. At a time when Myanmar is in crisis, and as scholarly institutions in the country are no longer able to operate as before, these sessions provided crucial insight into ongoing issues in the country. Discussions after each session also allowed for exchanges between the community of scholars focused on Myanmar that are difficult to have online, due to the politically sensitive nature of much of the research.

The conference would not have been possible without the support of the Political Geography Group at GIUZ, ISEK, the Swiss National Science Foundation, the Graduate Campus, the Swiss Embassy in Yangon, Alumni-Fonds, Hochschulstiftung, ZH Tourism, the Canton of Zurich, the City of Zurich, and the Burma Studies Foundation. We also thank all the student assistants involved, who worked hard to ensure that those who unable to come to Zurich were still able to participate actively at the conference.

Link to the 15th International Burma Studies Conference 2023