Never Mind the Generals. Burmese Punk Rock Scene as a Vehicle for Manifesting Changing Notions of Burmese Identity
Never Mind the Generals. Burmese Punk Rock Scene as a Vehicle for Manifesting Changing Notions of Burmese Identity

Summary/Abstract: This paper is based on data collected during field surveys conducted between 2014 and 2016 in Burma. The study was conducted in Yangon, the most cosmopolitan city in Burma, which is not only financially but also the musical center of the country where youth culture thrives. The main research method was participant observation, supplemented with interviews and text analysis. In this paper I would like to explain how punk rock expresses and interprets Burmese identity situated within the broader context of a continuum of Burmese identities. I would also like to raise the question of an inter relationship between music, politics and identity, using the example of Yangon punk rock scene. I will also try to explain how expressive forms of art, in this case punk rock, are used to construct national cultures, bring political change and engage their fans to become politically active.

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