Nation-Building in Independent Myanmar: A Comparative Study of a History Textbook and a Civic Textbook

• Published in: 수완나부미 Vol. 9; no. 1; pp. 149 - 171
• Main Author: Oo, Myo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 부산외국어대학교 아세안연구원 30.06.2017
• Subjects: citizen; Myanmar; nation-building; school civics textbook; School history textbook; citizen; Myanmar; nation-building; School history textbook; school civics textbook
• ISSN: 2092-738X

This article examines the image of the nation of the Union of Myanmar (Burma) by comparing the history textbook and the civic textbook prescribed in state schools during the period of independence from 1948 to 1958. After the Second World War, the political conditions gave the way for the formation of the Union of Myanmar composed of ethnic nationals in Myanmar. To shape the national identity, the newly-founded independent nation in 1948, introduced textbooks in history and civics for the purpose of nation building. The paper concludes that the history textbook illustrated the golden ages of the Myanmar kingdom by way of national consolidation and portrayed ethnic nationals as homogenous; on the other hand, the civic textbook defined a citizen as one who is born and raised in Myanmar; it also included migrant Asians such as Chinese and South Asians in the fold. The history textbook aspired for the national consolidation of ethnic nationals for the strength and prosperity of the country while the civic textbook required cooperation from both ethnic nationals and migrant Asians for peace and development of the country and the world.