Thawdar

Background

Thawdar was born in Myanmar, but grew up in the United Kingdom and would profess that if you spoke with him over the phone you might well guess that he was English – despite his nationality technically being Welsh. Plural identities indeed.

He had little to no interest in languages during his formative years, and subsequently plunged head-first into learning Japanese at SOAS, University of London for his undergraduate degree.

From there he shifted gear to an M.A. in East Asian History, primarily focussing on North Korea and Japan. His M.A. dissertation detailed the contemporary international relations between the two neighbouring countries, and attempted to look beyond the US-centric prism of East Asian relations.

Asian Languages

Thawdar is a native speaker in Burmese, which both perplexes and amuses his Burmese friends who think that he should know all the modern phrases and slang – despite learning the bulk of the language from his parents.

Thawdar’s undergraduate time was spent focusing on Japanese language and culture, where he vividly remembers his excellent and stern Senseis reminding everyone that if they just wanted to speak in Japanese that they should go next door to the language centre, as they would be learning a more rigorous and academic form of Japanese. His hard work paid off though and gave him the opportunity to experience the wonder of Kyoto as a language student during his year abroad, as well as to eventually graduate and pursue further studies.

Research Interests

Thawdar is interested in the interactions and intersections of Asian cultures, both within and outside Asia. His particular interests and training take him to Myanmar communities of migration, and the question of retaining identity within a world that is ultimately not Burmese, or is ever likely to be. With his family scattered across the three continents of North America, Europe and Southeast Asia, and his original undergraduate aspirations of researching Japan, the Comparative Asian Studies Programme at NUS is a refreshing and innovative way of approaching this world of difference and yet often striking similarities.

Myanmar communities in foreign places; the hitherto forgotten experiences of people, outside the ubiquitous topics of democracy and the Rohingyas, are his main areas of interest.