ABSTRACT Myanmar’s path to democracy, freedom and development has been marred by emerging Buddhist religious extremism targeted against the Rohingya Muslims. This article examines the rise of Buddhist religious extremism in Myanmar. Its core focus is on the political economy of state-building and development, and the structural and social conditions that have produced violence. We argue that contested state-society relations, negotiated by the discourse of state-building and development rather than religion and religious ideologies alone, can better explain the current dynamics of extremist violence in Myanmar. We show that hegemonic state-building processes (that have been ongoing since Myanmar became independent in 1948) and exploitative development serve as a site for inequalities and discriminatory policies. These policies and their manipulation for political and developmental gains have had multiple social effects: they have radicalised a section of Buddhists, resulting in the rise of violent religious extremism, and marginalisation and double victimisation of the Rohingya Muslims, targeted by the State security forces as well as Buddhist extremist groups.

中文翻译：

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缅甸佛教宗教极端主义的神秘化：围绕宗教，发展与国家建设的对抗与争斗

摘要缅甸针对罗兴亚穆斯林的新兴佛教宗教极端主义已经破坏了缅甸通往民主，自由与发展的道路。本文探讨了缅甸佛教宗教极端主义的兴起。其核心重点是国家建设与发展的政治经济学，以及造成暴力的结构和社会条件。我们认为，通过国家建设与发展话语而不是仅通过宗教和宗教意识形态进行谈判的有争议的国家社会关系，可以更好地解释缅甸目前极端主义暴力的动态。我们表明，霸权的国家建设进程（自1948年缅甸独立以来一直在进行）和剥削性发展是不平等和歧视性政策的根源。