Francis Wade, Myanmar’s Enemy Within Buddhist Violence and the making of a Muslim “Other”

Francis Wade’s Myanmar’s Enemy Within: Buddhist Violence and the Making of a Muslim “Other” breaks new ground in its analysis of the current Rohingya crisis by painstakingly describing the origins of anti-Muslim sentiments and Buddhist nationalism in Myanmar, as well as the negative effects of democratization. The book traces the history of the Rohingyas beginning with the period of British colonialism (1824–1948), then moving to Myanmar’s period of military dictatorship (1962–2011) and the subsequent democratization of the country in 2012, and finishing with the resulting riots in Rakhine State in 2012. By examining the history of antagonism between the military and this Muslim minority, the author sheds light not only on the fragility and the side effects of Myanmar’s democratic project but also on the obstacles for a liberal democracy in this country.