Discussion on #whatishappeninginMyanmar and book presentation of: Resistance Through Higher Education: Myanmar Universities’ Struggle Against Authoritarianism by Licia Proserpio
Date: 16 APRIL 2025 from 18:00 to 20:00
Event location: Biblioteca Amilcar Cabral, Via San Mamolo, 24, 40136 Bologna BO
Type: South-East Asia
Presentation of "Resistance through Higher Education. Myanmar Universities’ Struggle against Authoritarianism", Bristol University Press, 2025, by Licia Proserpio
Speakers: Licia Proserpio (UNIBO, author of the book), Antonio Fiori (UNIBO and Scientific Committee of Amilcar Cabral Library), Zo Bilay (Burmese researcher and activist), Francesco Buscemi (UNIBO)
In February 2021, Myanmar experienced its third coup. In response, the country’s civil society displayed extraordinary strength, resolutely opposing this new wave of authoritarianism. Where did this strength come from? At the forefront of the "Spring Revolution" are students, professors, activists, and educators who, over the past four years, have fought against the regime at great personal cost.Starting from an analysis of the coup in Myanmar, the book offers two main discussion points. The first explores Myanmar’s social and political struggles through the lens of its universities' history and student movements. The second focuses on universities as places of resistance—vital spaces for fostering a more just society. This is an especially urgent and relevant issue, particularly in light of recent global events.
