International Conflict Analysis in South Asia: A Study of Sectarian Violence in Pakistan analyzes the ideological relationship of the Muslim identity to its perceived practice of Islam among the Shia and Deobandi sects. A Muslim identity, defined as the parameters of who is and who isn’t a Muslim has led to the political conundrum of Pakistan to an anticipated single interpretation of Islam causing severe sectarian violence across the country. Sectarianism has been rooted in Pakistan’s affairs since 1953, but most recently the country has been victimized by political and sectarian Islamic movements. The collective mobilization and propaganda campaigns of these movements have led exclusion of certain religious minorities and their practices. The study takes root in Punjab Pakistan among twenty seven interviews where the Deobandi sect and the Shia sect face severe fatalities and undefined conflict.

This book looks at major contemporary conflicts —intra and interstate— in Southeast Asia from a conflict management perspective. Starting with the view that the conventional ASEAN conflict-management methods have ceased to be effective, it looks for new conflict-management patterns and trends by investigating seven contemporary cases of conflict in the region. Focusing on the incompatibilities involved in each case and examining how they have been managed—whether by integration, co-existence, elimination or maneuvering around the conflict—the book sheds new light on the significance of managing conflict in achieving and maintaining the stability of the Southeast Asian region. It makes a significant theoretical contribution to the field of peace and conflict studies by proposing the concept of “mediation regime” as the key to understanding current conflict management within ASEAN.

Conflict Resolution in Asia: Mediation and Other Cultural Models is an exploration of human interaction, conflict, and conflict resolution in the incredibly diverse region that consists of South, East, and Southeast Asia. It examines how traditional, indigenous, and culturally based conflict resolution processes interact with more formal legal systems to build infrastructures that address conflicts at the interpersonal to international levels in ways that maintain social harmony. This book provides insight into situations where unique cultures come together to create a larger cultural identity, and how constructive and appropriate conflict resolution systems can work every day to establish positive relationships and overall peace in these complex communities. It demonstrates the importance of culture in addressing conflict and conflict resolution, and validates the significance of culturally appropriate processes in building and sustaining peace. From Southeast Asia, a survey of Indonesia, Laos, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam highlights their rich cultures and conflict resolution processes. From East Asia, Mainland China and Hong Kong show the history of traditional models and the incorporation of mediation within a more formal legal system. Finally, a section on South Asia examines customary methods of dispute resolution working alongside a judiciary structure in India. These nine countries represent very different cultural groups with complex national histories, and varying degrees of influence from Western powers. Using select Asian nations as case studies of conflict resolution systems, this edited book examines the power of mediation and other cultural conflict resolution models as a tool for addressing conflicts and social justice.

In Insurgency and Counterinsurgency in South Asia, ten experts native to South Asia consider the nature of intrastate insurgent movements from a peacebuilding perspective. Case studies on India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka lend new insights into the dynamics of each conflict and how they might be prevented or resolved.

This book uses empirical evidence from various case studies to examine the relationship between territorial and regional autonomy, the nation-state and ethnic conflict resolution in South and South-East Asia. The concept of territorial or regional autonomy holds centre stage in the literature on ethnic conflict settlement because it is supposed to be able to reconcile two paradoxical objectives: the preservation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the state, and the satisfaction of ethnic minorities’ right to national self-determination. Critics argue, however, that autonomy may not be the panacea for ethnic conflict in all cases. The contributing authors begin with the concept of territorial or regional autonomy and subject it to a rigorous empirical analysis, which provides reliable evidence regarding the suitability of the autonomy solution to intractable ethnic conflicts. Drawing upon case studies from Kashmir, Assam, Sri Lanka, Aceh, Mindanao and Southern Thailand, this edited volume argues that autonomy arrangements may at best work to resolve only a handful of separatist ethnic conflicts in South and South-East Asia. This book will be of much interest to students of South and South-East Asia, Asian security, ethnic conflict, peace studies and IR in general.

A unique account of military conflict under the shadow of nuclear escalation, with access to the soldiers and politicians involved.

South Asia today is among the most unstable regions in the world, riddled by both intra- and inter-state conflict. This book presents a comprehensive technical analysis of the trade-conflict relationship within the region, and explores how South Asia demonstrates underperformance of its potential for economic integration. Using the gravity model framework, the book highlights quantitative estimates of the cost of conflict in terms of loss of trade for South Asia. Other variables representative of political and economic regimes are also included to make the model comprehensive, and the book goes on to discuss how the analysis reveals the overriding significance of the India-Pakistan relationship in the regional landscape. It looks at how the results of the econometric exercise reveal the extent to which a common border, when disputed, becomes a barrier rather than a facilitator to trade and, additionally, the extent to which long standing and persistent conflict can debilitate trade relationships. The book is a useful contribution for students and scholars of South Asian studies and international political economy, and assists in formulating policy to correct the anti-home bias that is evident in trade patterns of the South Asian economies.