ABSTRACT
Tensions between the rights of ethnic and religious minorities and the state’s often violent vision of belonging have been a defining feature of contemporary Myanmar, including throughout the limited democratic transition. While the National League for Democracy (NLD) government implemented some reforms that expanded cultural rights for minorities, serious repression continued and even expanded in some areas. The transitional governments failed to address the threat of extremist Buddhist nationalism, which gained popularity and created a context that enabled the Rohingya genocide to take place. Dynamics of ethnic and religious exclusion have begun to shift since the coup, with key actors in the opposition movement questioning Burmanisation and challenging exclusionary forms of nationalism and religious extremism. There has also been a growing reconciliatory sentiment that has reflected on past anti-Rohingya racism. This chapter will explore changing dynamics related to religious, ethnic and cultural practice in Myanmar.
