Nationalism & Nation-Building: A Comparative Study Between Indonesia & Myanmar

• Post by: Marcelo Pena
• June 2, 2024
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Marco Widodo, Stanford University

Abstract

Nationalism carries significant cultural, social, and political implications. Yet, its impacts vary greatly, capable of becoming both imperial or anti-imperial, unifying or divisive, productive or counter-productive. This paper compares two variants of nationalism in Southeast Asia—civic nationalism in Indonesia and ethno-religious nationalism in Myanmar—and their differing roles in nation-building processes. I identify several mechanisms to explain the divergence in their paths, examining demography, colonial influences, and decisions by founding elites. Finally, this paper reflects on the applicability and trade-offs of both models to argue that Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG) is uniquely positioned to turn the tide of Burmese nationalism.