Since ancient times, labyrinths have been paradoxical by design. Serving as a path to spiritual rebirth, a trap for evil spirits, and a place to hold captive monsters of the empire, the complex layers of a labyrinth hold the promise to both enlighten and confound. In this conversation, we explore the formation of national belonging in Burma and the ways in which these histories have created constructions of the Burmese ‘self’. What has this meant for the Rohingya, who have been cast as the quintessential ‘other’ of Burmese identity? What are the myths and parameters of this national imagination, and what would it take to shift them? Journalist and author, Carlos Sardiña Galache, interrogates these questions in a conversation on his new book, The Burmese Labyrinth.
Speakers: Carlos Sardiña Galache, Lilianne Fan
