Routledge Security Community in South Asia: India - Pakistan (Routledge Studies in South Asian Politics)

Product Description The security relationship between India and Pakistan is generally viewed through a neo-realist approach of International Relations.. Treading on a different path, this book explains the rivalry of these countries by looking at the socio-cultural norms found at two levels, elites versus popular. Furthermore, it also conceptualizes a hypothetical India-Pakistan security community that could result in peace in the region. The book describes how the rivalry between India and Pakistan is mostly centred on the elites of the two countries. It highlights the presence of a unique normative structure through social practices found at the popular level, and looks at how the common people of both India and Pakistan share many socio-cultural norms. Employing the theoretical framework of social constructivist approach of International Relations as well as the methodology of critical discourse analysis, the book discusses how an effort can be made to develop the concept of a bottom-up security community, from the popular to the elite level, and the impact this would potentially have for India and Pakistan. An interesting and valuable approach for analysing these issues of security through the socio-cultural lens, this book is of interest to academics and scholars of South Asian Politics, Security Studies and International Relations. Review ‘Outstanding Research Award’ for the best book in the Social Sciences by the Higher Education Commission Government of Pakistan "The book presents a very balanced approach while constructing the narratives of identity of both India and Pakistan despite the fact that the author is a native of Pakistan. This volume greatly advances our understanding of South Asian politics and it will serve as an important reference text for students of International Relations." Bal Gopal Shrestha, University of Oxford "This study is recommended for an expert-level analytical circle which wants to evolve and formulate a constructive peace proposal between India and Pakistan" Malik Qasim Mustafa, Research Fellow, Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad About the Author Muhammad Shoaib Pervez is Assistant Professor of International Relations at Lahore School of Economics and post-doctoral Fulbright Fellow at SIPA, Columbia University, New York, USA.