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Perceptions of Ethnicity in the Politics of Burma

Perceptions of Ethnicity in the Politics of Burma Perceptions of Ethnicity in the Politics of Burma* Robert H. Taylor Department of Economic and Pulitical Studies. School ot Oriental and African Studies. University of London Ethnic politics. is the obverse of the politics of national unity in modern Burma. Since the end of the Second World War no issue has been more permanently and centrally on the political agenda of Burma than the question of how to cope with demands of politicized ethnicity while simultaneously maintaining the territorial integrity, frontier security and sovereignty of the central state. However, it has been the manner in which most members of Burma's political dlite. as well as foreign historians and political scientists, have perceived the question of ethnicity which has raised its ramifications to the apex of practical and theoretical concern. Because ethnicity has generally been conceptualized as an ascribed attribute with the implicit assumption of instinctive and primoridial antagonisms between different groups, as has been customary in Western political thought since the rise of nationalism. rather than as a relational attribute reflecting ecological and subcultural characteristics, a false problem has been posed in the practice and study of Burma's politics.' While a relational definition does not deny the existence http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Asian Journal of Social Science Brill

Perceptions of Ethnicity in the Politics of Burma

Asian Journal of Social Science , Volume 10 (1): 7 – Jan 1, 1982

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Publisher
Brill
Copyright
© 1982 Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands
ISSN
1568-4849
eISSN
1568-5314
DOI
10.1163/156853182X00029
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Perceptions of Ethnicity in the Politics of Burma* Robert H. Taylor Department of Economic and Pulitical Studies. School ot Oriental and African Studies. University of London Ethnic politics. is the obverse of the politics of national unity in modern Burma. Since the end of the Second World War no issue has been more permanently and centrally on the political agenda of Burma than the question of how to cope with demands of politicized ethnicity while simultaneously maintaining the territorial integrity, frontier security and sovereignty of the central state. However, it has been the manner in which most members of Burma's political dlite. as well as foreign historians and political scientists, have perceived the question of ethnicity which has raised its ramifications to the apex of practical and theoretical concern. Because ethnicity has generally been conceptualized as an ascribed attribute with the implicit assumption of instinctive and primoridial antagonisms between different groups, as has been customary in Western political thought since the rise of nationalism. rather than as a relational attribute reflecting ecological and subcultural characteristics, a false problem has been posed in the practice and study of Burma's politics.' While a relational definition does not deny the existence

Journal

Asian Journal of Social ScienceBrill

Published: Jan 1, 1982

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