ABSTRACT
The history of independent Myanmar is replete with authoritarian and illiberal political regimes that have repressed the prospects of representative governance and limited the opportunities for economic development. A period of political and economic reform between 2011 and 2021 – which can now be considered an interregnum – ushered in hope and opportunity across much of Myanmar society for the first time in generations, although for some marginalised groups, such as the Muslim Rohingya, these opportunities never arrived. Any semblance of improved governance and economic opportunities for Myanmar’s general population evaporated, however, on the morning of 1 February 2021 following a military coup. This volume examines the consequences of this coup on Myanmar’s politics, economy and society, and this chapter provides an overview of some key elements of the volume, including the types of texts and sources employed, a brief historical analysis of Myanmar since colonial times and the chapter and volume structures.
