Shifting hegemonies: Historical and cultural legacies of Burmese Buddhist masculinities at critical junctures in Myanmar

VENUE

Please note this seminar is online only. 

Shifting hegemonies: Historical and cultural legacies of Burmese Buddhist masculinities at critical junctures in Myanmar

Since the eleventh century, Buddhism has fundamentally shaped conceptions of Burmese masculinity and the social hierarchy among men in Myanmar. Blended with local traditions, Buddhist values have structured social interactions among genders and social groups by setting normative standards for Burmese men. However, these ideals have transformed in response to major historical developments in Myanmar.

This presentation adopts an integrative literature review of historical, cultural, and religious texts, as well as peer-reviewed scholarship, to examine how Burmese Buddhist masculinities have evolved from the monarchy through colonial rule to the independence era. Drawing on Connell’s theory of hegemonic masculinity, the presentation critically examines how Burmese Buddhist masculinities have adapted to Myanmar’s changing historical context. The findings demonstrate that distinct historical periods produced various forms of hegemonic masculinities, such as royal, monastic, and militarised masculinities.

Furthermore, the Buddhist concept of karma has played a vital role in sustaining male authority and reinforcing traditional gender roles. The cultural notion of ‘Hpoun’ or ‘Buddhist masculine charisma’ has endured through various adaptations, supporting both social order and national identity. By foregrounding these evolving articulations, this research contributes to the understanding of hegemonic masculinities in transition and demonstrates the need to incorporate masculinity perspectives in advancing gender and Buddhist studies, as well as in analysing social and gender hierarchies in Southeast Asia.

Speaker

Aung Min Thein is a doctoral candidate and teaching assistant at the Department of Women’s Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, Chiang Mai University in Thailand. His research focuses on gender and religion, particularly karma (kamma), rebirth, and gender hierarchies within the Theravada Buddhist context of Myanmar. He was affiliated with York University (Canada) as a Visiting Research Fellow in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) and a Visiting Graduate Associate at the York Center for Asian Research (YCAR) from October 2024 to April 2025.

He has presented his PhD dissertation project at numerous international conferences and workshops, including the 16th International Burma Studies Conference (Northern Illinois University, October 2025), the Cambridge 2025 Association for Southeast Asian Studies Annual Conference (Association for Southeast Asian Studies, September 2025), the Men and Masculinities in Transition Conference (Stockholm University, June 2025), the 2025 AAS-in-Asia Conference (Association for Asian Studies, June 2025), the Routledge Early Career Writing Workshop: Preparing Your Article for Publication (Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, May 2025), the Burma Past and Present: Religion, Ethnicity and Power Workshop (York University, February 2025), and the Canadian Southeast Asian Studies Initiative Dissertation Workshop (Canadian Southeast Asian Studies Initiative - CSEASI, October 2024).

He holds an MA in Population and Sexual and Reproductive Health from Mahidol University in Thailand, with a thesis examining the relationship between gendered power relations and the use of modern contraceptives among married women in Myanmar. Prior to his doctoral studies, he spent over a decade as a development practitioner in Thailand and Myanmar.

Chair

Zaw Yadanar Hein, zaw.hein@anu.edu.au

The ANU Myanmar Research Centre Dialogue Series is a conversation concerning current research on Myanmar aimed at providing scholars with an opportunity to present their work, try out an idea, advance an argument and critically engage with other researchers. International and Myanmar researchers from any discipline are invited to contribute. The Dialogue Series is particularly seeking to provide a space for early career researchers wishing to receive constructive feedback. Each dialogue is one hour long, including a 30-minute presentation followed by a 30-minute Q&A. As a hybrid series, the Dialogues are presented in both virtual and in-person format, hosted by the ANU Myanmar Research Centre.

Image by Dave Hopkins