Pathways to Power introduces the domestic politics of South Asia in broad comparative perspective, revealing the interplay between politics, cultural values, human security, and historical luck. While these are important correlations everywhere, nowhere are they more compelling than in South Asia where such dynamic interchanges loom large on a daily basis. Identity politics—not just of religion but also of caste, ethnicity, regionalism, and social class—infuses all aspects of social and political life in the sub-continent. Recognizing this complex interplay, this volume moves beyond conventional views of South Asian politics as it explicitly weaves the connections between history, culture, and social values into its examination of political life. The volume covers the five major South Asian states and includes a comprehensive grounding of the politics of modern South Asia in their shared colonial history, tracing how institutions inherited from British rule— parliament, constitutions, judicial systems, the civil service—have diverged in the context of the different social and cultural forces that shape politics in the successor states of Britain’s South Asian empire. The book examines the many factors that bring together the disparate countries of the region into important engagements with one another, forming an uneasy regional entity.
South Asian readers will find useful ways of comparing the five major South Asian countries through consistent themes that enable a richer understanding of domestic politics throughout the region.
Arjun Guneratne is professor and chair of the Department of Anthropology at Macalester College, Minnesota, USA. Anita M. Weiss is professor and head of the Department of International Studies at the University of Oregon, USA.
Acknowledgments Introduction: Situating Domestic Politics in South Asia Arjun Guneratne and Anita M. Weiss South Asia as a Political-Cultural Site The Organization of the Book Efforts to Promote Regional Cooperation
1. The Colonial Legacy Shabnum Tejani Imperial Conquest The Early Colonial State Mutiny and Rebellion High Noon of Colonialism, 1858–1914 Cultural Reform and Political Change under the Raj, 1800–1900 Nationalism Independence and Partition, 1937–1948
2. India Christophe Jaffrelot Political History since Independence Political Economy Identity Politics Women’s Power and Kinship Networks in Political Life (by Virginie Dutoya) The Social Cost of Militarism (by Isabelle Saint-Mezard) Struggles over Rights: A Case Study
3. Pakistan Anita M. Weiss Political History since Independence Political Economy Identity Politics Women’s Power and Kinship Networks in Political Life Social Costs of Militarism Struggles over Rights: Case Study of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Swat
4. Sri Lanka Arjun Guneratne Political History since Independence Political Economy Identity Politics Women’s Power and Kinship Networks in Political Life Social Costs of Militarism Struggles over Rights: The Women’s Movement in Sri Lanka (by Camena Guneratne)
5. Nepal Pratyoush Onta and Seira Tamang Political History Political Economy Identity Politics Women’s Power and Kinship Networks in Political Life Social Costs of Militarism Struggles over Rights: The 2007 Madhes Rebellion
6. Bangladesh Haroun er Rashid Political History Major Political Parties Political Economy Identity Politics Women’s Power and Kinship Networks in Political Life Social Costs of Militarism Struggles over Rights: The Nagorik Committee Initiative
Index About the Contributors