Manipulating Identity among Burmese Muslim Traders: A Case Study of Mae Sod Cross Border Trade

Abstract

Abstract In the context of modern nation-states, borderlands occupy a unique space as they are typically inhabited by groups with two different cultural or social identities. There are two important factors in the creation of heterogeneous identity in borderlands: geo-physical conditions and migration flows. In the case of borderlands, migration is not limited to the moving of people or goods but also includes how ideologies are embedded in one region and transplanted to another region. This process of ideological movement has been one of the main focuses for many prior borderland studies. Nonetheless, most analyses have concluded with examinations of how identity is restructured in relation to the creation of a group consciousness or feeling of togetherness. In contrast, this study aimed to answer two main questions. First, it inquired as to how migrants reconstructed their identities either in the individual or collective level. Second, it examined how they give meaning towards their reconstructed identities. To answer these questions, I conducted a case study of cross border trade in Mae Sod with a focus on individuals an ethnic migrant group, Burmese a Muslim traders. Data presented in this study was gathered using participant observations of the Burmese Muslim community in Mae Sod as well as in-depth interviews with persons involved with cross border trade. In addition, I have also conducted archival research to help analyze the arguments of this study. The role of Burmese Muslims within cross-border trade in Mae Sod is classified as significant since it can be viewed in various scales, from small into big traders. In terms of identity reproduction, this study argues that Burmese Muslim traders defined identity not only as an effort to grow the feeling of togetherness or solidarity through the identification of “us” and “them”, but also as a strategy to maintain their survival in Mae Sod. Burmese Muslim traders viewed the identity of Islam as social capital, as their identity gives them access to a broad, inter-ethnic, cross-national network. However, Burmese Muslim traders connected though Muslim networks based not only on religious practice but also in their socio-economic practice. In this case, the Muslim network accommodates much information or knowledge related to cross border trade in Mae Sod for Burmese Muslim traders.