Myanmar Studies Center at UP

Our research fellow Monika Verma published a new article titled “From Hospitality to Hostility: The Evolutionary Securitisation of Rohingya Migration in Bangladesh” in the Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. 📚

The article examines how Bangladesh’s response to Rohingya migration has evolved from humanitarian reception to institutionalised securitisation over nearly five decades, and what this transformation means for Rohingya refugees’ everyday lives.

Read the article here (open access): https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2026.2664796

This publication is part of the ongoing project Securitization of Migration in South Asia: Implications for Rohingyas (SOMISA). Learn more about the SOMISA project here: https://sites.google.com/view/projectsomisa

From hospitality to hostility: the evolutionary securitisation of Rohingya migration in Bangladesh This article examines the evolutionary trajectory of Bangladesh's response to Rohingya migration, tracing how an initially humanitarian approach has progressively transformed into comprehensive sec...

We are pleased to announce the opening of "Landscapes of Refuge: Rohingyas in South Asia" — a photography exhibition curated by our research fellow Monika Verma.

The exhibition opens on 16 June 2026 at 15:00 outside the Myanmar Studies Center at Palacký University Olomouc.

Drawing on fieldwork conducted in Bangladesh and India, the exhibition presents 15 photographs documenting the governance of migration and the everyday lives of Rohingya refugees — foregrounding their resilience, agency, and strength in conditions of prolonged displacement.

📍 Department of Asian Studies, Faculty of Arts, Palacký University Olomouc 🗓️ 16 June – 31 August 2026 | 🎟️ Free Entry

🎉🎉🎉 Today, we celebrate two years of the Myanmar Studies Center (MSC) at Palacký University Olomouc.

Since its founding, the MSC has gradually developed into a space connecting research, teaching, student engagement, and public outreach. 🇲🇲📚

Over the past two years, MSC has organized conferences, workshops, guest lectures, film screenings, and public discussions; produced research and analytical outputs on Myanmar’s politics, conflict dynamics, human rights, and geopolitics; engaged in media work; and supported Burmese students and researchers through mobility programs.

The article below reflects on what we have built over these first two years — and where we hope to go next.

🔗 Article link: https://msc.upol.cz/nc/en/news/clanek/two-years-of-the-myanmar-studies-center-building-a-platform-for-research-teaching-and-public-enga/

🎤 Our Head of the Myanmar Studies Center, Kristina Kironska, spoke at the UC Berkeley Symposium on Critical Minerals in Asia, where she delivered the opening presentation entitled “The Myanmar–China Dimension: Asymmetrical Interdependence and Fragmented Governance.”

🌏 The presentation focused on the links between critical minerals, conflict economies, fragmented governance, and human rights consequences in Myanmar within the broader context of global supply chains and the green energy transition.

💬 The symposium brought together a group of scholars, researchers, and practitioners working on critical minerals, environmental justice, maritime security, and conflict economies across Asia and beyond. Discussions ranged from rare earth mining in Myanmar and deep seabed mining in the Indo-Pacific to Japan’s and South Korea’s critical mineral strategies, as well as the human and environmental impacts of extraction industries.

In post-coup Myanmar, generative AI is shaped as much by conflict and inequality as by innovation. While some students can access and experiment with AI, many others face barriers like poor infrastructure, limited awareness, and ongoing restrictions.

Our guest author Jeremy Htet’s essay explores how these challenges—and emerging grassroots efforts—are redefining AI’s role in Myanmar education today 🎓

Read the full article here:

The state of GenAi in Myanmar’s fragile education Guest author: Jeremy Htet

🎓 External Scholarship Opportunities for Burmese Students (2026)

We’ve put together an overview of currently available scholarship opportunities for Burmese students interested in pursuing studies abroad. The list includes funded BA, MA, and PhD programs across Asia and Europe, with varying levels of financial support—offering access to international academic environments and networks.

📄 Read more and explore the full list here: https://msc.upol.cz/en/blog/scholarship-opportunities/

➡️ If you are interested in any of the opportunities, please contact the respective institutions directly for further information and application procedures.

🔁 Feel free to share this with anyone who might benefit.

msc.upol.cz

Our Head, Kristina Kironska was quoted in The Straits Times on Russia’s growing influence in Myanmar—and how discounted fuel exports could extend Moscow’s reach across Southeast Asia 🌏⛽️

Her comments highlight a broader dynamic: beyond bilateral ties, Russia’s use of energy exports can quietly reshape regional alignments and normalize deeper external involvement in ASEAN ⚖️

Read the full article here: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/as-more-asean-states-turn-to-moscow-for-fuel-will-the-bear-loom-larger-in-the-region 🔗

ASEAN-Russia energy deals and regional influence Explore how ASEAN nations turning to Russia for fuel may increase Moscow's influence in the region amidst geopolitical tensions. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Our research fellow Monika Verma has recently published a new article titled “Navigating Access and Ethics: Methodological Challenges in Rohingya Refugee Research in Bangladesh.”

The article explores the bureaucratic and methodological challenges of conducting fieldwork in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, highlighting issues of access, research ethics, and securitization. Drawing on first-hand experience, it offers insights into how governance structures shape both refugee lives and knowledge production. 📚

Read the article here: https://cjdproject.web.nycu.edu.tw/

This publication is part of the ongoing project Securitization of Migration in South Asia: Implications for Rohingyas (SOMISA): https://sites.google.com/view/projectsomisa

👩‍🏫 Cécile Medail, our MSCA-CZ Fellow at the Myanmar Studies Center at UP, recently presented a snapshot of her research and expertise to our students.

In one of the sessions of the course Human Rights in Asia, she provided an overview of Myanmar’s conflict and its impact on minority groups. Using the Myanmar case, she facilitated a discussion on the differences between individual and collective rights, as well as between human rights law and international criminal law.

We are pleased to share that our Research Fellow Monika Verma has published a new article titled “Manufacturing insecurity: the politics of fear, securitisation practices and Rohingya refugee experiences in India.” 🌏

The article explores how narratives of fear and securitisation practices shape the lived experiences of Rohingya refugees in India, offering critical insights into the intersections of politics, security, and migration. It contributes to ongoing discussions on displacement, governance, and human security in South Asia. 📚

You can access the article here (open access): https://doi.org/10.1080/21624887.2026.2653893

This publication is part of the ongoing project Securitization of Migration in South Asia: Implications for Rohingyas (SOMISA). Learn more about the SOMISA project here: https://sites.google.com/view/projectsomisa