Crisis of State
and Nation: South Asian States Between
National Building and Fragmentation
By-
John P. Neelsen and Dipak Malik (eds)
The
widespread notion and pursuit of a post-independence development strategy in
South Asia centred around the state, and essentially following the model of the
industrialized
countries, has obviously come to end. Similarly, the belief that economic growth together with a socially biased interventionist government would cement national cohesion, contribute to nation-building and, by the same token, strengthen democratic institutions, has been belied. Social inequality has everywhere been aggravated, as has social conflict. While a general process of political mobilization has set in, not least traditionally rather marginalized groups have become empowered. At the same time, the signs of crises multiply as exemplified in the Maoist movement in Nepal, the civil war in Sri Lanka, the struggle for self-determination in Northeastern India, or the corruption, violence and alienation in government and politics. While they manifest themselves first of all in the political sphere concerning the representativity and functioning of democracy, and not least the roll of political parties, they may go deeper indicating a systemic crisis touching upon the foundations of the socio-political order itself, as most evident in the case of Pakistan. Far from offering solutions, neoliberalism and Western-style democracy appear to be rather part of the problem. As a result, concepts of a modified Nehruvian state or Gandhian visions have gained hew currency.
countries, has obviously come to end. Similarly, the belief that economic growth together with a socially biased interventionist government would cement national cohesion, contribute to nation-building and, by the same token, strengthen democratic institutions, has been belied. Social inequality has everywhere been aggravated, as has social conflict. While a general process of political mobilization has set in, not least traditionally rather marginalized groups have become empowered. At the same time, the signs of crises multiply as exemplified in the Maoist movement in Nepal, the civil war in Sri Lanka, the struggle for self-determination in Northeastern India, or the corruption, violence and alienation in government and politics. While they manifest themselves first of all in the political sphere concerning the representativity and functioning of democracy, and not least the roll of political parties, they may go deeper indicating a systemic crisis touching upon the foundations of the socio-political order itself, as most evident in the case of Pakistan. Far from offering solutions, neoliberalism and Western-style democracy appear to be rather part of the problem. As a result, concepts of a modified Nehruvian state or Gandhian visions have gained hew currency.
With
crisis of nation and state as principal common focus, the present volume unites
thematic regional overviews with case studies on India, Pakistan, Bangladesh,
Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Nepal. The thirteen contributions by specialists on
South Asia from Europe, and Australia, Japan and the region itself approach the
common topic from the specific angle of their discipline, namely political
science, sociology, ethnology, history and economics. This pluridisci-plinarity
combined with case studies opens up new insights as well as new perspectives
for further research.
John
P. Neelsen,
Professor of Sociology, Tübingen University, Germany. His major publications
deal with South Asia, esp. India and Sri Lanka, class formation, and political
economy, international relations and Human Rights.
He
serves on the scientific board of the World Centre for Peace, Freedom and Human
Rights, Verdun, France, of the RosaLuxemburg Foundation, Berlin, Germany, of
ATTAC/Germany, and of the International Research Foundation for Development,
Mass., USA, which he regularly represents at the UN, Geneva.
Dipak
Malik,
Professor, Department of Commerce, Banaras Hindu University, and Director,
Gandhian Institute of Studies, Varanasi.
ISBN 81-7304-731-6
2007 432p. Rs.995/ pounds 50
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