A Historical Study on the Formation of Karen Ethnicity and Its Ethnic Problem in Myanmar

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K03082
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: History of Asia and Africa
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: IKEDA KAZUTO 大阪大学, 言語文化研究科(言語社会専攻、日本語・日本文化専攻), 准教授 (40708202)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: ミャンマー / ビルマ / カレン / 民族問題 / 民族 / 歴史観

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Ethnic issue of Karen people has been a serious challenge for Myanmar nation-state which has been suffered ethnic and religious conflict since its independence in 1948. This study focuses on the process of ethnic formation and politics of ethnicity on Karen, and its religious connotation. It is pointed out that the Karen ethnic problem in Myanmar was created not by the divide and rule policy of the colonial British government but originated from its relation to Burman nationalist movement. The Burman nationalists’ discourse to attribute its responsibility to the British has been an attempt to distract their failure to manage ethnic relations after the Myanmar independence ending up serious and enduring ethnic conflicts to this date. As to the religious aspect of the Karen ethnic formation, cultural movements on Buddhist Pwo Karen scripts and the establishment of a Sgaw Karen monastery in Yangon were studied in this project.

Free Research Field

ビルマ史、ビルマ地域研究

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の特色は、ミャンマーにおける民族とその政治問題化の機制を明らかにしたことにある。学術的には第一に、ミャンマーの代表的民族問題であるカレン問題の起源と史的構造に関して通説の明確な否定と説得的な歴史過程が提示された。第二に、ミャンマー史における民族という単位の歴史性が指摘され、したがって民族を当然の単位としたミャンマー通史叙述への批判という結果も期待できる。通説に対する批判がほぼ皆無の現況からして、本研究は他に類例のない革新的な研究であると自負したいが、社会的・国際的な認知を得るまでは地道な唱道活動が必要となろう。