Ethnic consciousness and allegiance to the State: Weak state, weak (ethnic) society and the question of dual loyalties in Myanmar

Abstract

On the questions of nation-building and identity formation, existing literature tends to characterize the state-ethnic minority relations in Myanmar as a zero-sum game. While focusing on the armed conflict, most of the works emphasize all-out domination by the state or all-out resistance by ethnic minority elites. However, based on the data gathered in the Insein Karen community from 2002 to 2003, this study argues that the identity politics and nation-building process in contemporary Myanmar is much more complex than existing literature has suggested. The study examines fluid ethnic consciousness and incomplete loyalty to the Myanmar nation-state in relation to the roles of the state, ethnic elites and other factors. In doing so, it shows the limitations of the state of Myanmar and the Karen Baptist Church in the identity formation process in Insein, and demonstrates an unexpected role of social forces.