The Post-Colonial States of South Asia Democracy, Development and Identity

by Shastri, Amita; Wilson, A. Jeyaratnam

• ISBN13: 9780312238520
• ISBN10: 0312238525
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2001-10-05
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Summary

The chapters in this volume analyse issues relating to political governance, national identity, economic development and regional security that have preoccupied the states of South Asia in the fifty years following independence. India has been faced with the challenge of developing effective democratic structures in the world's most diverse and populous society. It confronts tensions in its efforts to carry out economic reforms in a competitive resource-scarce context, and to maintain its commitment to secularism in the face of the growing influence of Hindu nationalism. The role of the military and of religion have complicated the task of stabilising democratic structures and socio-economic development in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Sri Lanka's political problems have escalated due to the failures of its leadership, unsuccessful constitutional experiments, and unresolved ethnic differences. The transition of Nepal from a centralised monarchy to a participatory political system has generated stresses in its traditional social relations and group rankings.The essays by an international groups of scholars explore these themes with a view to highlighting the complex processes of political change and development that are underway in the South Asian states.

Author Biography

Amita Shastri is Professor of Political Science at San Francisco State University.

A. Jeyaratnam Wilson was Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of New Brunswick, Canada.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xi
List of Contributors	xiii
Introduction The Post-Colonial States of South Asia: Democracy, Identity, Development and Security	1	(16)
Amita Shastri
PART I DEMOCRACY
Political Governance in India: The Challenge of Stability and Diversity	17	(24)
Stanley A. Kochanek
The Fragile Base of Democracy in Pakistan	41	(28)
Samina Ahmed
Bangladesh: An Unsteady Democracy	69	(19)
D. Hugh Evans
Nation-Building in a Demotic State: The Failure of Political Leadership in Sri Lanka	88	(26)
A. Jeyaratnam Wilson
The National Political Culture and Institutions in Nepal	114	(27)
Leo E. Rose
PART II IDENTITY
The Rise of Hindu Nationalism and the Marginalisation of Muslims in India Today	141	(17)
Christophe Jaffrelot
State, Nation, Identity: The Quest for Legitimacy in Bangladesh	158	(25)
Tazeen M. Murshid
State Support for Religion in Contemporary Sri Lanka: Some Ideological and Policy Issues	183	(13)
Chandra R. de Silva
The `Nationalities' Question in South Asia	196	(19)
Raju G.C. Thomas
PART III DEVELOPMENT
Economic Crisis, Momentary Autonomy and Policy Reform: Liberalisation in India 1991--95	215	(26)
Ronald J. Herring
N. Chandra Mohan
Liberalising India's Economy: Context and Constraints	241	(23)
Vanita Shastri
Institutional Impediments to Human Development in Pakistan	264	(19)
Christopher Candland
PART IV SECURITY
Creating a Common Home? Indo-Pakistan Relations and the Search for Security in South Asia	283	(28)
Vernon Hewitt
The Flash-Point of South Asia: Kashmir in Indo-Pakistani Relations	311	(15)
Sumit Ganguly
Pokhran II and After: Consequences of the Indian Nuclear Tests of 1998	326	(21)
Ashok Kapur
Index	347