Myanmar's Spring Revolution: Students, higher education and political change

A book written by Marie Lall and Ikuko Okamoto (UCL Press, 2026)

A book talk with Marie Lall 

16th October 2026, Friday / 6:00pm -7:30pm

Room 301, 3F, Building 10, Sophia University

No prior registration required

On 1 February 2021 Myanmar's military conducted a coup putting an end to a decade of reforms. Although it was the third coup in Myanmar's history, it was received as a moral shock by a large part of the population, and the response was an unprecedented resistance movement branded as the Spring Revolution by the young people who are leading it.

Myanmar's Spring Revolution is about the students and academics who played a key part in the post-coup protests and who are still fighting the Myanmar military, both by taking up arms and by creating their own higher education institutions. It aims to give Myanmar students a place to offer their views on their revolution and the future they are fighting for. In light of wars in Ukraine, Gaza and Iran, the conflict in Myanmar has largely been forgotten and the youth-led resistance that is fighting the Myanmar military seems to have no witnesses. 

This book is a way of giving voice to those most affected by the coup, and those who are giving their lives for the future of their country. The protagonists here explain why the resistance is different this time, and how this revolution goes well beyond the protests against a military regime.

The book is open access and free to download at this link - https://uclpress.co.uk/book/myanmars-spring-revolution/

Professor Marie Lall is Chair of Education and South Asian Studies at the UCL Institute of Education and Professor at Keio University, Japan. She is a South Asia Specialist working on India, Pakistan and Myanmar. She has over 30 years of experience in the region specialising in political issues and education. Her political research focuses on the domestic and foreign policy of South Asia. Her education expertise encompasses Education Policy, Higher Education as well as Teacher Training and Language of Instruction. She has authored over 100 publications, including 13 widely cited books. Professor Marie Lall completed her B.Sc. Economics and Ph.D. from the London School of Economics and Political Sciences (LSE) and her MPhil from Cambridge University.

This event is organized by Megha Wadhwa (Assistant Professor, DES, Sophia University).

Event flyer download: Click here