From unarmed to armed resistance: the anti-coup in Myanmar

Following the 2021 military coup, a unionwide peaceful anti-coup movement emerged in Myanmar, which escalated into armed conflict. The aim of this paper is to explain how and why the initially nonviolent anti-coup movement radicalised. This study applies the qualitative method process-tracing. I argue that the resistance's radicalisation can be explained by three interacting mechanisms. First, the framing of high-intensity repression as a trigger event provides actors with a motivational basis for armed resistance. Second, the initially low cohesion and lack of leadership in the movement enabled mobilisation for armed resistance in self-organising networks. Third, the contentious capacity of longstanding non-state armed actors provides resisters with possibilities to implement an armed repertoire.