The Geopolitics of South Asia: From Early Empires to the Nuclear Age

by Chapman,Graham P.

• ISBN13: 9780754672982
• ISBN10: 0754672980
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-03-28
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

This enthralling volume tells the story of one of the world's greatest cultural heartlands - the Indian sub-continent. It shows how geological movements moulded the land of this unique cradle and how they still impact on it; from the early settlers, the great Mogul Empire and the British Raj, through the impact of railways, the development of irrigation systems on the economy and the spread of representative democracy.Discussions are woven around the three major forces of integration. These are 'identitive' forces - bonds of language, ethnicity, religion or ideology; 'utilitarian' forces - bonds of common material interest, and 'coercion' - the institutional use or threat of physical violence. By studying these forces, Professor Chapman shows how the organisation of territory - as states and empires, as monarchic realms and as representative democracies - has been central to the region's historic, cultural, linguistic and economic development. Anyone who is planning on carrying out research in South Asia or indeed anyone who simply wishes to understand more about this cultural heartland should read this book.In addition to the material on the Northwest frontier, Afghanistan and Kashmir which was added for the second edition, the Northeastern borderlands are also now examined in this fully revised third edition. The current geopolitical state of the region is completely updated and greatly enhanced.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Introduction: Brahma and Manu: of mountains and rivers, gods and men

Hinduism: the manifold of man and God

Islam: submission to the one true god

The British Raj: The usurpers: the life and death of John Company

Securing the Empire

A new geography: anew economy

The new nationalisms and the politics of reaction

The Successor States: Divide and quit

New lines on the map

From 2 to 3: the birth of Bangladesh

Raj and swaraj: regionalism and integration in the successor states

The forgotten sisters: India's Northeast

The power upstream

The greater game

Conclusions: States and regions in South Asia

References and bibliography

Index

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

This enthralling volume tells the story of one of the world's greatest cultural heartlands - the Indian sub-continent. It shows how geological movements moulded the land of this unique cradle and how they still impact on it; from the early settlers, the great Mogul Empire and the British Raj, through the impact of railways, the development of irrigation systems on the economy and the spread of representative democracy.