South Asian Studies and International Relations

ikh Nationalism and Identity in a Global Age examines the construction of a Sikh national identity in post-colonial India and the diaspora and explores the reasons for the failure of the movement for an independent Sikh state: Khalistan. Based on a decade of research, it is argued that the failure of the movement to bring about a sovereign, Sikh state should not be interpreted as resulting from the weakness of the ‘communal’ ties which bind members of the Sikh ‘nation’ together, but points to the transformation of national identity under conditions of globalization. Globalization is perceived to have severed the link between nation and state and, through the proliferation and development of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs), has facilitated the articulation of a transnational ‘diasporic’ Sikh identity. It is argued that this ‘diasporic’ identity potentially challenges the conventional narratives of international relations and makes the imagination of a post-Westphalian community possible. Theoretically innovative and interdisciplinary in approach, it will be primarily of interest to students of South Asian studies, political science and international relations, as well as to many others trying to come to terms with the continued importance of religious and cultural identities in times of rapid political, economic, social and cultural change.

Trans-nationally net-worked religious identity politics in strategically located Sri Lanka at the centre of the Indian Ocean Silk Route may be viewed as a polyphony that sometimes morphs into cacophony.  This was evident in the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks that were mysteriously claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and the post-war weaponization of religion/s. However, the literature on conflict and peace in Sri Lanka has tended to “island” the study of religion/s and to focus on “internal” conflict and political violence while eliding a rich historical and present-day multi-religious co-existence and the fact that Sri Lanka is once again in the cross-hairs of great power rivalry as a new Cold War emerges in the Indian Ocean region. This has given rise to “soft power” interventions and the weaponization of religions by global-local networks and geopolitical actors. Simultaneously, we trace a disjuncture in recent times in how Liberal theorists, experts and “natives” think about and construct “religion”, particularly in relation to colonial constructions of the violence of “others”. Rather than view religion as a field of conflict, the chapters of the book draw on rich ethnography to show how religion is primarily about everyday practices of and the protection of self, family and kin, healing, spiritual solace, and importantly, resistance to colonialism, real and perceived, past and present, as much as a search for justice from the violence of the modern nation-state and its apparently democratic majoritarian violence, both at the individual and community level, especially in a post-war context.

India is sending complicated signals about its preferred status on the global stage. Struggling for recognition as a Great Power, India is also trying to maintain solidarity with developing countries. While Chinese elites mostly view it as a positive development, China’s accommodation of India’s rise has been partial, conditional and inconsistent.

The purpose of this course is to acquaint students with an overview of the impact of the colonial legacy on South Asia, along with detailed analyses of the contemporary political, economic, and social dynamics of the region. Particular focus is given to India given its enormity and strategic importance in South Asia, albeit the smaller states in the region are also incorporated in the course.
The course will begin by first setting the historical context of the region’s largest state, India. Tracing its history from the Mughal period, this section extrapolates on the British East India Company’s rule of India and the emergence of a vocal independence movement, which subsequently led to the emergence of India and Pakistan as separate independent states. It will then examine the individual states in South Asia, within the context of their respective political, economic, cultural, and social dynamics. The third section will delve into specific issue areas pertaining to the region, including attempts at regionalism, the Kashmir dispute, nuclear security, the issue of religion, ethnicity, and caste. Lastly, the course will briefly focus on India’s relationship with extra-regional powers, including the US, Russia, and China.

...there is need to augment capacities of the judiciary as well as the Police to deal with pendencies, especially in the War Crimes trials, and also to counter online radicalisation, and to sort out the Rohingya issue. If greater stability is to be consolidated, moreover, caution must be exercised while harnessing religious conservatism with a view to political expediency, as this can only legitimize fundamentalist and extremist groups, creating future risks.

The building of the ASEAN Community among ten member nations of the Southeast Asia region needs stability, especially in terms of security and economic areas among its members. The situation in the Southern Border Provinces of Thailand is a major factor for the development of the ASEAN community due to the location and historical conflicts in those Southern Border Provinces. This paper aims to examine the root causes of conflicts and to determine the role of the Southern Border Provinces of Thailand in building the ASEAN Community especially during the period of 2012-2014.