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Melbourne Asia Review is a research-based publication of the Asia Institute, University of Melbourne.
Edition 25, March 2026
Varieties of Indigenous knowledges in Asia
INTRODUCTION: Myanmar and the contest for political legitimacy
Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military coup in 2021. How can a governing body with political 'legitimacy' be established through which the people may flourish?
Beyond resistance: Who can govern in a federal Myanmar?
Myanmar’s federal future will depend on sub-state legitimacy.
Legitimacy, who in Myanmar—and on earth—needs it?
The Myanmar military does not face a legitimacy crisis, but rather a compliance crisis.
China, scam economies and the Myanmar military’s struggle for survival
How does a regime survive when it faces sustained armed resistance amid severe economic deterioration?
‘Kawthoolei’ (homeland) in the making: Karen State and a federal democracy in Myanmar
The Karen National Union, a non-state governing actor in Myanmar, aspires to become a self-governing unit within a possible future federal democratic union.
Aid agencies and legitimacy in the Rohingya camps: Why refugee and citizenship rights must be emphasised
More than one million Rohingya are living in refugee camps in Bangladesh. They lack ‘legitimacy’ in the sense that they are not recognised as citizens or as refugees.
Edition 28, November 2026
Political legitimacy in Myanmar
To what extent can various political groups in Myanmar claim legitimacy to govern?
More than five years after the coup, the question is how fragmented legitimacy can be made into durable political authority.
Perverse polls: Myanmar’s paradox of electoral legitimation
The Myanmar military's highly controlled electoral process did not include genuine choice, but enabled it to claim political authority.
Do acts of international recognition confer legitimacy on Myanmar’s military regime?
Foreign government engagement with Myanmar's military is recognition of a degree of control rather than acknowledgement of legitimacy.
No clean exit: The Myanmar coup left business with no choice that was free of harm
Foreign companies in Myanmar face simultaneous and often contradictory pressures that mean there's no 'legitimate' exit.
How people in Myanmar resist authoritarianism through alternative constitution-making
Alternative constitution-making in Myanmar by non-state actors is a form of active resistance to illegitimate constitutions.
The delivery of public healthcare should be a core requirement of the Myanmar military’s claim to political legitimacy
A functioning public healthcare system should be a core requirement for a legitimate claim to sovereignty.
Arakan authorities’ legitimacy dilemma: Rakhine nationalism and the status of Rohingya and other minorities
The future of Rakhine State, the site of persecution against Rohingya, depends on whether authorities can build an inclusive political order.
INTERVIEW: ‘We are working towards a federal democratic union with authority from the people’
The Minister of Foreign Affairs for the National Unity Government reflects on what political legitimacy means in contemporary Myanmar.
Governing for Growth: Democracy and Development in Southeast Asia
Special series with Asialink to mark this year’s Southeast Asia Oration
The latest Ear to Asia podcasts
Ear to Asia is a podcast series published by the Asia Institute, University of Melbourne, featuring researchers from Australia, Asia and beyond. Each episode explores political, cultural, and social issues across Asia and the Islamic world, offering accessible insights for academic and general audiences alike.
