Hübner, Saskia
Ascribing the socio-political Identity of the Rohingya and its consequences for political belonging.
Master thesis, Master Religion Conflict and Globalisation.
Abstract
The stateless religious minority group, the Rohingya, has been suffering systematic persecution, violence, discrimination and violation of their fundamental human rights for decades. The year 2017 is considered the peak of violence and persecution against the Rohingya in Myanmar and has been described as a “genocide” by human rights organisations, among others. The Republic Union of Myanmar does not recognise the Rohingya as a national race and therefore not as citizens of Myanmar due to their perceived ethnicity.
In order to gain a better understanding of the essence of the conflict, it is necessary and highly relevant to engage academically with the socio-political identity of the Rohingya. Thus, the aim of the thesis is to elaborate possible identity attribution processes by external actors, such as state authorities of Myanmar, and the resulting consequences for the political belonging and the implementation of human rights of the Rohingya. To this end, the following research question is posed: How do external actors, such as state authorities, ascribe the socio-political identity of the stateless religious minority group - the Rohingya?
In order to answer the research question, the concepts of identity within academic literature and the historical background of the Rohingya in Myanmar are first examined. Next, through qualitative research using a document analysis methodology and a critical discourse analytical approach, public records published and/or approved by the state within the time period from late 2015 to August 2017 are analysed.
It is found that the socio-political identity of the Rohingya is either not addressed at all or conceived and attributed through misconceptions and biases by state authorities. These socio-political identity attribution processes and the lack of addressing their identity in general form the basis and justification for discrimination and violence against the Rohingya by state authorities.
| Type: |
Thesis
(Master)
|
| Supervisors (RUG): |
| Supervisor | E-mail | Tutor organization | Tutor email |
|---|
| Wilson, E.K. | | Faculteit GGW, Christendom en Ideeengeschiedenis | E.K.Wilson@rug.nl | | Buitelaar, M.W. | | Faculteit GGW, Vergelijkende Religiewetenschap | M.W.Buitelaar@rug.nl |
|
| Degree programme: |
Master Religion Conflict and Globalisation |
| Academic year: |
2020-2021 |
| Date of delivery: |
16 Sep 2022 13:46 |
| Last modified: |
16 Sep 2022 13:46 |
| URI: |
https://rcs.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/674 |
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