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Waqf is one of the most potent socio-economic tools for reducing public sector deficit and breaking the chain of intergenerational poverty. Providing a high-level discussion on waqf development and innovation within the context of modern socio-economic and legal developments, this book examines the importance and potentials of waqf and the issues relating to its legal and regulatory framework.The research delivers future directions for countries that plan to explore this socio-economic institution. Readers and policymakers will be able to replicate successful experiments and learn from some failed initiatives to seek alternative funding platforms to support the fiscal policies of developing countries. The volume discusses the relevance and novel application of waqf in the modern economic system and social development, it reviews applicable laws and regulations pertaining to waqf and trust laws and examines critical, cross-country case studies and experiences.Setting an agenda for further researchers in the field of waqf, this comprehensive high-level analysis, with case studies from leading jurisdictions across the world, is a key resource for researchers, policymakers and institutions interested in charitable endowments, Islamic finance, and social finance.

Rural development remains a major challenge for governments of developing countries such as Pakistan. While a broad range of state and donor interventions impact the lives of poor farmers -who provide a significant proportion of the labour force - comprehensive consideration of these combined interactions remains inadequate. Focussing on Pakistan, this book discusses the political economy of agrarian poverty and underdevelopment in the region.The book provides an in-depth exploration of the combined impact of state and donor interventions, as well as that of resistance attempts, to alter the status quo within Pakistan. It questions the relevance of state institutions and policies contending with the problems of farmers in Pakistan, and how donor-led policies and programmes also influence their lives. It draws on findings that have emerged from interviews of over 200 respondents including government officials, donor agency representatives and different categories of poor farmers, during eleven months of fieldwork in the provinces of Sindh and Punjab. This research reveals some divergences between state and donor policies, but it finds more prominent convergences, which in turn enable the landed rural elite to benefit from market-based and capital-intensive processes of agricultural growth, without offering substantial opportunities for poor farmers.Reflecting the need to become less insular when discussing solutions to rural development, and demonstrating how state policies and institutions can interconnect with donor funded programmes, this book will be of interest to students and scholars of South Asian Politics and Development Studies.

This book examines the representation of Muslim identity in Hindi films by focusing on different aspects of Muslim identity - historical, cultural, and linguistic - and their realisation in cinematic form.The book assesses the changing perceptions of Muslim identity, beginning from the historical films of the 1940s to the more recent films which often address the current stereotypical notions of Muslim identity in the post-9/11 world and in particular, analyses films which treat the problematic of'global Muslim identity'. It argues that genre, language, and various sign systems create understandings and mediate notions of identity. Offering a close reading of films belonging to different genres - Muslim social, action thriller, gangster, biopic, and many others - the book interrogates concepts of social diversity, tokenism, marginality, and their reflection and consolidation in Hindi films. It critically looks at the representation of Muslim women characters and the politics of interfaith romances in many films. The book also reads many films which probe Partition violence, communal riots and the international discourse on terror. It also touches on the evolution of the language of Hindi films and its role in creating a lingua franca uniting diverse and variegated groups of people in India. Drawing insights from new critical close reading, deconstruction, semiotic and discourse analysis, the book also offers a close reading of a few films in each chapter, which offer important insights into Hindi cinema.This book offers a unique and comprehensive analysis of the political and representational aspects of Hindi cinema, portrayal of Muslims in popular arts, and the debates and politics over the use of Hindustani in India and its identification with religious and communitarian identity. It will be of interest to researchers studying world cinema, Hindi cinema, sociology and Asian studies.

Waste management has become a great challenge for cities and urban areas, especially in countries with a high population density. This book looks at the waste management apparatus of the city of Indore, India, to see how the city overhauled its waste management practices and strategies to become one of the cleanest cities in the country.The volume highlights the challenges that the city faced and its use of innovative business models, technology, and infrastructure as well as instituting sweeping policy and process changes to bring change. It examines the city's successful efforts to bring informal waste management systems to the mainstream and other interventions to close the gaps between government institutions, sanitation workers, and the general public. It further throws light on the use of technological interventions that the city government adopted for streamlining waste management and developing a sustainable business model for waste and emission reduction leading to achieve carbon credits and net zero goals.This book will be of interest to students, teachers, and researchers of urban planning and management, urban sociology, urban geography, waste management, and environmental studies. It will also be useful to policymakers and professionals working in the field of city management planning and governance.

The remarkably creative life Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941) lived has long been an area of scholarly enquiry. Yet, surprisingly, his role as the founder of an experimental ashram community remains unexplored. A Poet's Ashram retrieves his idea of his ashram through an exploration of his writings on the institutions he built.The ashram community Tagore endeavoured to create in Santiniketan during the period 1901–1941 was his response to the question of modernity. Through his effort to reinvent the ancient Indian ideal of the ashram, he articulated his idea of a mode of collective living that was meant to be grounded in a set of ethical values derived from India's civilizational inheritance. This book traces the history of how his ashram school evolved into a community that practised egalitarianism, inclusiveness and creativity through its daily existence. It explores a range of nineteenth- and twentieth-century discourses and Tagore's engagement with them in order to situate that idea within its historical context, a critical juncture in the history of modern India and the world. This book's reading of his project unravels its anti-colonial underpinnings and the commonalities it shared with some of the other similar experimental communities that challenged illiberal ideologies and power relations during the early twentieth century.Meticulously researched and perceptively written, this book will be of interest to students and researchers of history, political science, culture studies and postcolonial studies. It will also be of interest to educationists, educators and those interested in colonial modernity, modern Indian history, philosophy of education, institution building, peace, inclusivity and sustainability.

This remarkable book brings to an English-speaking audience detailed scholarship originally conceived and written in the Malay language and with a Malay perspective. It examines the nature of monarchy in the Malay world, which includes present-day Malaysia and Indonesia, before and during the onset of Western colonialism when the Malay world was ruled by a large number of separate Muslim sultanates. It highlights that monarchs were the highest authority in the social, political, legal and economic system, rather than the government of a clearly defined territory; the notion of Dewaraja (god-king) and what a model monarch's attributes should be; and how the monarch's role related to Islamic principles, including the Islamic ideal of the Caliph of God meting out fair judgement and punishment. Two prominent and pivotal concepts of traditional Malay society, that of daulat (sovereignty) and derhaka (disloyalty) are here analysed and evaluated against the background of the period of absolute monarchy. Moreover, this volume also discusses the parts played by leading ministers and viziers, who often exercised enormous power, explores the role of monarchs in managing and regulating economic activity, and outlines differences between the different sultanates.

India, with its vast population, has become a focal point of global attention due to its remarkable economic growth and potential. In addition, India's geo-political influence has assumed significance within the context of Indo-Pacific strategy. This has further intensified the need to understand and examine India's great transition from an inter-disciplinary perspective. The first two decades following independence were significant in highlighting the challenges faced by a newly independent nation and the strategies employed to address them. The pivotal turning point in 1991, when India initiated comprehensive economic reforms, also set the stage for a diverse political climate characterized by evolving ideologies.This book comprehends ongoing transition in India from interdisciplinary perspective. The chapters in the book highlight the key milestones and shifts in India's journey since its inception as an independent nation in 1947. Written in a simple and accessible manner, the book comprehensively addresses a diverse range of issues concerning India's significant transition, engaging prominent scholars from respective fields.

This volume provides a literary-cum-historiographical analysis of epidemics and pandemics. It looks at folklore, tribal folktales, eyewitness accounts, memoirs and missionary writings from India and the west to explore the history of some of the major outbreaks in history. The chapters focus on the impact of outbreaks such as plague, cholera, malaria, tuberculosis and COVID-19, upon the material life of people, their social dislocation and their complex responses to such crises.The book studies the role of pandemics in pushing scientists, social actors and littérateurs to develop new paradigms in knowledge generation, theories of environmental dislocation and the economic slide. It examines themes such as changes in the perception of epidemic diseases across different periods of history, popular responses to state intervention during epidemics, gendering epidemics, as well as the impact of rumours during epidemics.An important contribution to the social history of health and medicine, the volume will be useful for students and researchers of cultural studies and medical anthropology, public health, literature, history of pandemics and epidemics, sociology of medicine and South Asian studies.

This companion presents a comprehensive overview of educational policies in India, tracing the development of modern education from the late eighteenth century until Indian independence. It also studies various aspects of indigenous education and examines the education system under the British administration.Drawing on archival and contemporary sources, the book explores the influence of geopolitics on educational policies and gives an in-depth analysis of debates related to access, curriculum, textbooks, funding, girls'education, missionary education, and the education of the Muslim community. It analyses school and collegiate education, various Education Commissions, and the Government of India Resolutions. It surveys Indian response to modern education and various forms of National Education. It also discusses Gandhi's educational ideas and brings forth the entire curriculum of Nai Talim.An important contribution to the history of education in India, the companion will be indispensable to scholars and researchers of history, education, history of education, sociology, colonial education, Indian education, and political science.

This volume brings together new research on the developing and transforming literary scape in South Asia in the aftermath of the partitions of 1947 and 1971. It thematically explores the transformations that have taken place in the literary spheres of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, since violence and irresolvable conflicts wreaked the subcontinent, through the narratives of loss and longing.The volume deals with key themes such as feminism, minorities and marginality, vernacular history, Bengali literary representations, and post-Partition artistic and literary representations. It contributes towards fostering a network for academic exchange across the borders thereby presenting diverse and in-depth studies on a plethora of subjects within the larger framework of literary landscapes.Narratives of Loss and Longing will be of interest to scholars of literary studies, postcolonial and decolonial studies, partition studies, minority studies, refugee studies, gender and women's studies and those interested in South Asia, especially India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

This book explores the relationship between Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and discusses their relevance in India's history and socio-political discourse. It looks back at the Indian independence movement and the key debates and issues that the country was confronted with in the early 1900s that continue to be relevant today. These include the practice of untouchability, tensions and conflicts between communities, the treatment of minorities and the marginalized, debates on the ideology of Hindutva, religious conversion, questions on the cultural and civilizational identity of India, and responses to Western modernity. This book discusses the ideological differences between Gandhi and the RSS while also focusing on areas where they converged. This book will be of interest to students, researchers, and academics working in the areas of modern Indian history, political science and philosophy. It will also be interesting to general readers curious about Gandhi and the RSS.

This Handbook provides thorough insights into crucial topics that have attracted scholarly and practitioner interest in business and management in the Middle Eastern region.The chapters of this Handbook open the window on the key areas of discussion in the field over the past few decades, including organizational behavior, leadership, business culture, business ethics, human resources, business strategy, entrepreneurship, finance, and accounting. It starts with identifying five key themes emerging from the variety of topics, locations, and questions addressed by the various authors who contributed to this volume. The remaining 30 chapters tackle various topics of interest to the research and the practitioner: institutional contexts for doing business in the region; issues of leadership, ethics, and organizational behavior; the role of women in leadership and some of the obstacles facing aspirant women leaders; people management and human resources issues in the Middle East; marketing in the Middle East; and strategy and entrepreneurship in the Middle East. The book closes with a reflection on management research in non-Western societies and describes some methodological challenges and propositions.The Handbook is designed for academics, students, and practitioners covering areas of relevance across business activities, functions, and locations in the Middle East. It is to be used as a reference for scholars doing business research or teaching and for practitioners involved in business activities in the region.

Beyond Macaulay provides a radical and comprehensive history of Indian education in the early colonial era from 1780 to 1860. It critically explores data of 16,000 indigenous schools, which shows that indigenous education was not oral, informal, and Brahmin-centric but written, formal, and egalitarian. Based on rich archival evidence, the book challenges the conventional theory that the British administration imposed the English language and modern education on Indians. By including hitherto unused 41 Educational Minutes of Macaulay, the volume examines his educational ideas, his insistence on compulsory teaching of Indian languages in English schools, his encouragement of the Hindi language, his opposition to making Arabic as a medium of instruction in medical and technical education opens up hither to unknown perspectives on Orientalist-Modernist debates. Contrasting the educational ideas of the British elites and the Orientalists with dissenting Scottish voices, it shows that the colonial administration was not monolithic. The book discusses post-Macaulayan educational policies, closing down of Macaulay's schools and the Wood's Despatch of 1854 as well as how people protected English schools during the revolt of 1857.This second edition is supplemented with complete student essays which reveal the students'use of the English language, classical imageries, the debates in Europe and finally, their own location in Indian society. The essays by upper caste, OBC and Dalit students demonstrate their extraordinary competency and command over the English language. The book will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of education, history of education, Indian history, the history of English language teaching in India, sociology, and political science.

This book examines the social and cultural history of Bengal through two major themes — the intellectual and cultural dimension, and the socio-economic changes from the ancient to the postcolonial. Essays by major scholars highlight and analyse major debates as well as little known aspects of the region. From currency in ancient Bengal to the establishment of Calcutta, from the social history of Rahr to the challenges of writing history of mediaeval Bengal, from modern medicine to man-made famines, this book brings to the fore the diverse socio-cultural threads that constitute this region.The volume will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of Indian history and culture and South Asian studies.

Track Two Diplomacy between India and Pakistan studies the nature and context of providing an alternative platform for conflict resolution between the two countries.Considered one of the most intractable conflicts in the world, the India-Pakistan conflict has been defined by casualties, religious extremism, and the looming threat of war. With the conflict playing out against the backdrop of many nationalisms, official Track One diplomacy remains insufficient. The author analyses the role of Track Two diplomacy when official diplomacy remains confined and sensitive to their respective official positions as well as the contribution of maintaining various communication lines intact when official channels are suspended and inaccessible. In this context, this book explores citizen-led diplomatic efforts, probing the economic and ideological forms of power that influence this mode of diplomacy outside governmental channels. The book is a general evaluation of the Track Two process in terms of its achievements, challenges and failures vis-à-vis India and Pakistan.An original contribution towards the development of a conceptual understanding of Track Two diplomacy, this book will be of interest to researchers studying International Relations, Foreign Politics, South Asian Politics, with particular emphasis on India - Pakistan relations.

This book looks at the process of cultural enlightenment in the context of Pakistan. It undertakes an interesting and in-depth research focusing on how the world's second largest Muslim state can learn from Europe's heritage of enlightenment. It studies why Pakistan lacks a process of awakening and what the scope of cultural enlightenment in Pakistan is against the backdrop of militant Islam. The author argues that cultural enlightenment can help promote positive conflict transformation in Pakistan and discusses the ways in which challenges to establishing a culture of reasoning, tolerance, accommodation, social justice and peace can be dealt with.A unique contribution, this book will be of interest to students and researchers of philosophy, political science, history, international relations, South Asian studies and religious studies. It will also appeal to think tanks, policymakers and general readers interested in these topics.

This book examines the socio-political histories, religio-political agendas and politico-militant (and for some, non-violent) strategies of institutions of political Islam in Bangladesh. Focusing on Jammat-e-Islami, Hefazet-e-Islam, Jammatul Mujahedeen Bangladesh (JMB), Ansar al Islam, Neo-Jammatul Mujahedeen Bangladesh (Neo-JMB), Tablighi Jamaat, and Islami Andolon Bangladesh, it shows how these groups are key actors in the securitization of the postcolonial socio-cultural, economic, and political histories (and future) of Bangladesh.The volume illustrates the complex ways in which every day lived experiences of peoples of Bangladesh, and securitized political and cultural pathways of state governance have shaped and impacted the histories and activities of these groups, and the strategies and agendas of these groups to gain political and socio-religious legitimacy within (and sometimes, beyond) the secularized cultural landscapes of Bangladesh. Moreover, the book argues that even though these Islamist groups bear the same agenda of transforming Bangladesh into an Islamic state, their strategies are different and unique. It also discusses the connections of some of these groups to other transnational institutions of political Islam and extremist groups such as Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS).This book will be a major intervention in the field of politics, religion, and South Asian studies.

This book examines key concerns in South Asian security through a fine-grained history of the accidental firing of a missile and its aftermath between two nuclear-armed states—India and Pakistan—with tense relations in March 2022. It consolidates the official statements, media discourse and debates within the strategic communities in both countries into a coherent narrative. It looks at the role of key institutions in the crisis such as the Indian Air Force (IAF), The Directorate of Air Staff Inspection-IAF, Indian Ministry of Defence (MOD), Pakistan Air Force (PAF), Pakistani Foreign Office (FO), Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) and others. The book also examines the missile accident's coverage in the international media and discussions in the global think-tank community.Drawing on a host of resources, including published interviews of government officials, analyses in media, and strategic communities in India, Pakistan and the United States, this volume will be key reading for scholars and researchers of military and strategic studies, politics and international relations, public policy and South Asian studies.

This book explores the philosophical and political roots of the United Bengal movement of 1947 that emerged as a final bid to keep the province united against Partition. Through Abul Hashim, one of its architects, it explores the idea of an independent Bengali nation in the years preceding Independence and examines the underlying tensions of the concept of a Muslim-led independent Bangalistaan and its repercussions on a sizeable Hindu minority. Focusing on Hashim's writings and political contributions, this monograph highlights his vision of an aesthetic identity rooted within religious principles as well as civic ideals in a new united Bengal, where common law underwritten through religious ideals did not need to be necessarily opposed to western discourses of a modern state.A major, new intervention, this book will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of modern Indian history, especially the Partition, politics, and South Asian studies.

The second edition of this introductory textbook provides students with an overarching understanding of social, political, and economic institutions of six South Asian countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Using democracy as a prism, it evaluates the varied opportunities and constraints facing these states.Key features include: Introduction to the region The history and development of these South Asian states, including evaluations of their democratic trajectories The management of conflict, economic development, and extremist threats A comparative analysis of the states Projections concerning democracy given evolving challenges The textbook is an indispensable teaching tool for courses on South Asia. It includes pedagogical features such as political chronologies, political party descriptions, text boxes, a glossary, and suggestions for further reading. It is written in an accessible style by country experts, thus offering students of South Asian politics a valuable introduction to an exceedingly diverse and complicated region.

Routledge Handbook of Post Classical and Contemporary Persian Literature contains scholarly essays and sample texts related to Persian literature from the 17th century to the present day. It includes analyses of free verse poetry, short stories, novels, prison writings, memoirs, and plays.The chapters apply a disciplinary or interdisciplinary approach to the many movements, genres, and works of the long and evolving body of Persian literature produced in the Persianate World. These collections of scholarly essays and samples of Persian literary texts provide facts (general information), instructions (ways to understand, analyze, and appreciate this body of works), and the field's state-of-the-art research (the problematics of the topics) regarding one of the most important and oldest literary traditions in the world.Thus, the Handbook's chapters and related texts provide scholars, students, and admirers of Persian poetry and prose with practical and direct access to the intricacies of the Persian literary world through a chronological account of key moments in the formation of this enduring literary tradition.The related Handbook (also edited by Kamran Talattof), Routledge Handbook of Ancient, Classical, and Late Classical Persian Literature covers Persian literary works from the ancient or pre-Islamic era to roughly the end of the 16th century.

Regional Sufi Centres in India: Significance and Contribution sets out to explore and understand the hundreds of years old multi-religious sect of India,'Sufism,'which advocates humane and global outlook for entire mankind and regards humanity as a brotherhood. Sufism came to India from its Arabic Turkic and Persian homes, instead of remaining confined to palaces and mosques. It spread out to all over India establishing regional Centres and Dargahs often known by the surnames of the families which sustained it, like Khanqah-e-Niazia, in Bareilly (UP), Khanqah Gesu Daraz in Gulbarga, and Firdausi in Bihar. The authors of this volume discuss some of the regional Sufi Centres in India and their contribution in the social emancipation of the society.Print edition not for sale in South Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Bhutan)

This book tracks the progress of maternal and child health (MCH)—part of SDG3—in empowered action group states in India. It lays bare regional disparities and unfolds a range of issues relating to inequalities in access to MCH services, complex dynamics behind poor nutrition, health expenditure and impoverishment, structural bottlenecks of health system that hinder effective implementation of programmes; best practices adopted for improving MNCH indicators and appropriate strategies required for more informed policy.The volume: Examines the changing features of health and nutrition of mothers, new-borns and children between pre and post National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) Studies reproductive health and well-being of mother and children Explores linkages between food, nutrition and health Examines the underlying factors determining poor health and nutrition Probes into health expenditure, their impoverishment and its bearing on access to maternal and child healthcare services Proposes strategic interventions to reduce maternal, neonatal and child mortality and improve nutritional status The volume will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of public health, especially maternal and child health specialists, gender studies, development studies and public policy.

This book presents original research on the controversies surrounding animal sacrifice in South Asia through the lens of court cases. It focuses on the parties involved in these cases: on their discourses, motivations, and contrasting points of view. Through an examination of judicial files, court decisions and newspaper articles, and interviews with protagonists, the book explores how the question of animal sacrifice is dealt with through administrative, legislative, and judicial practice. It outlines how, although animal sacrifice has over the ages been contested by various religious reform movements, the practice has remained widespread at all levels of society, especially in certain regions. It reveals that far from merely being a religious and ritual question, animal sacrifice has become a focus of broader public debate, and it discusses how the controversies highlight the contrast between ‘traditional'and ‘reformist'understandings of Hinduism; the conflict between the core legal and moral principles of religious freedom and social progress; and the growing concern with environmental issues and animal rights.The Introduction, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, and Chapter 7 of this book are available for free in PDF format as Open Access from the individual product page at www.taylorfrancis.com. It has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International license. Funded by Centre National de la Recherche Scientific.

This Handbook brings together essays that introduce the reader to the key issues in South Asian political development. Written by experts in their respective areas, the essays explore key aspects of political economy, political and economic change, and the complex diplomatic and security challenges of individual countries and the region as a whole. Essays discuss topics as wide-ranging as China's growing reach in South Asia, political Islam, SAARC and water politics through the region. This well-researched Handbook is an essential reference tool for students and scholars of Political Science, International Relations and South Asian studies.With an introduction by Harsh V Pant.

The book critically analyses questions of gender and sexuality in the medieval religious texts of Bengal. It analyses the emergence of religious cults in patriarchal contexts, the humanization of the goddess figure as a wife and mother who is subject to social and ethical codes, and demythologization of folk epics.This book discusses the folk genre of the Mangal Kavyas such as the Chandi Mangal and the Manasa Mangal, against the perspectives of Sanskrit texts like the Devi Mahatmya and the Devi Bhagavata Purana, and compares and contrasts the Kalika Purana against the texts and practices of the Tantric cult, to shed light on the paradoxes and parallels in the images of Kali found in the texts and practices dominant in the eastern region of India. The author also highlights the centrality of Chaitanya in the Gaudiya Vaishnava movement, the social and religious revolution he brought with the philosophy of raganuga bhakti along with the androgynous aspects in his relationships; explores the concept of mystical eroticism in the love of Radha and Krishna as seen in the song sequences of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas; and discusses women's Rama-kathas found in a variety of languages across India.Rich in archival material, this book will be an essential read for scholars and researchers of gender studies, women's studies, literature, medieval history, social history, cultural anthropology, religious studies, cultural studies, South Asia studies, and those interested in the history of medieval Bengal.

This book investigates the concept of colonial globalization to show how knowledge, information, technology, capital and labour have the potential to move freely across the world. It studies the experience of globalization'from below', rather than from the perspective of the British imperial centre.Focusing on the impact of colonial globalization on the people of Sylhet, East Bengal, and Assam, the volume seeks to analyse the'global'as a process in constant negotiation with the'local'. It discusses various issues such as the opening of the hills of Sylhet and Assam for tea plantation. the involvement of local entrepreneurs with overseas planters in the global tea industry, the phenomenon of regional labour migration into eastern India, and Sylheti seamen and their involvement in the merchant marine. The author also highlights the contribution of peasants, labourers and women in the independence movement and the irreversible changes that they brought about.A unique contribution to the study of colonial globalisation, this volume will be indispensable for students and researchers of colonial history, modern Indian history, Northeast India, border studies, globalization, political economy, minority studies, globalization studies, third world studies, colonialism and postcolonialism, and South Asian studies.

This volume analyzes the rising inclusion of new and emerging technologies in business. It measures the effectiveness and challenges of these tools in various aspects of strategy and decision making within small and big businesses.Businesses in the competitive market must be agile and innovative to drive growth, and the inclusion of technology and reliance on data science for decision making is fraught with its own set of challenges. Through various case studies and analysis of trends, the book explores diverse dimensions of decision science from a micro as well as macro perspective. It examines the function, management, and implementation of new technologies, like big data and AI in business operations and infrastructure, highlighting their practical applications as well as the barriers to their adoption.This book will be useful to scholars and researchers of management studies, business management, financial management, business economics, international business, finance and marketing, development studies, and economics. It will also interest policymakers and practitioners in the field.

The Routledge Handbook of Critical Kashmir Studies presents emerging critical knowledge frameworks and perspectives that foreground situated histories and resistance practices to challenge colonial and postcolonial forms of governance and state building. It politicizes discourses of nationalism, patriotism, democracy, and liberalism, and it questions how these dominant globalist imaginaries and discourses serve institutionalized power, create hegemony, and normalize domination. In doing so, the handbook situates Critical Kashmir Studies scholarship within global scholarly conversations on nationalism, sovereignty, indigenous movements, human rights, and international law.The handbook is organized into the following five parts: Territories, Homelands, Borders Militarism, Humanism, Occupation Memories, Futures, Imaginations Religion, History, Politics Armed Conflict, Global War, Transnational Solidarities A comprehensive reference work documenting and consolidating the growing Critical Kashmir Studies scholarship, this handbook will be of interest to scholars of anthropology, political science, cultural studies, legal and sociolegal studies, sociology, history, critical Indigenous studies, settler colonial studies, and feminist studies.

This book analyses how independent filmmakers from Bangladesh have represented national identity in their films. The focus of this book is on independent and art house filmmakers and how cinema plays a vital role in constructing national and cultural identity. The authors examine post-2000 films which predominantly deal with issues of national identity and demonstrate how they tackle questions of national identity. Bangladesh is seemingly a homogenous country consisting 98% of Bengali and 90% of Muslim. This majority group has two dominant identities – Bengaliness (the ethno-linguistic identity) and Muslimness (the religious identity). Bengaliness is perceived as secular-modern whereas Muslimness is perceived as traditional and conservative. However, Bangladeshi independent and art house filmmakers portray the nationhood of the country with an enthusiasm and liveliness that exceeds these two categories. In addition to these categories, the authors add two more dimensions to the approach to discuss identity: Popular Religion and Transformation. The study argues that these identity categories are represented in the films, and that they both reproduce and challenge dominant discourses of nationalism. Providing a new addition to the discourse of contemporary national identity, the book will be of interest to researchers studying international film and media studies, independent cinema studies, Asian cinema, and South Asian culture, politics, and identity politics.

This book is an accessible, comprehensive, and nuanced history of Pakistan. It reflects upon state and society in Pakistan and shows they have been shaped by historical forces and personae. Hoodbhoy expertly maps the journey of the region from many millennia ago to the circumstances and impulses that gave birth to the very first state in history founded upon religious identity. He documents colonial rule, the trauma of Partition, the nation's wars with India, the formation of Bangladesh, and the emergence of Baloch nationalism. The book also examines longstanding complex themes and issues – such as religious fundamentalism, identity formation, democracy, and military rule – as well as their impact on the future of the state of Pakistan.Drawing on a range of sources and written by one of the foremost intellectuals of the region, this book will be indispensable for scholars, researchers, students of history, politics, and South Asian studies. It will be of great interest to the general reader interested in understanding Pakistan.

This book examines cultural imaginations post 9/11. It explores the idea of a religious community and its multifaceted representations in literature and popular culture. The essays in the volume focus on the role of literature, film, music, television shows and other cultural forms in opening up spaces for complex reflections on identities and cultures, and how they enable us to rethink the ‘trauma of familiarity', post-traumatic heterotopias, religious extremism and the idea of the ‘neighbour'in post-9/11 literary and cultural imagination. The volume also probes the intersections of religion, popular media, televised simulacrum and digital martyrdom in the wake of 9/11. It also probes the simulation of new- age media images with reference to the creation and dissemination of ‘martyrs', the languages of grief, religionisation of terrorism, islamophobia, religious stereotypes and the reading of comics in writing the terror.An essential read, the book reclaims and reinterprets the alternative to a Eurocentric/Americentric understanding of cultural and geopolitical structures of global designs. It will be of great interest to researchers of literature and cultural studies, media studies, politics, film studies and South Asian studies.

Aslam and Gunaratna bring together a broad analysis of the responses of states in Asia to the threats presented by the COVID-19 pandemic in its early phase.While the impact of the pandemic has undoubtedly been disastrous, it has also taught many lessons about social, political, economic, and security norms in modern civilization. The contributors to this book look at how these lessons have been learned—often the hard way—by a range of states including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, and Jordan, as well as by international organizations including ASEAN. They look at a range of issues, going beyond the most apparent healthcare concerns to also look at challenges such as the gig economy, terrorism, extremism, religious identity, and cybersecurity. Using these country-based case studies, this book establishes a framework for understanding these challenges and establishing best practice and scalable solutions for addressing them.A valuable resource for scholars and practitioners trying to understand how the world will and won't be changed by the impact of COVID-19, especially in the realms of security, society, and economy.

This book analyses marginalisation and human rights in Southeast Asia and offers diverse approaches in understanding the nuances of marginalisation and human rights in the region.Throughout the region, a whole range of similarities and differences can be observed relating to the Southeast Asian experience of human rights violation, with each country maintaining particular aspects reflecting the variability of the use and abuse of political power. This book explores the distinct links between marginalisation and human rights for groups exposed to discrimination. It focuses on ethnic minorities, children, indigenous peoples, migrant workers, refugees, academics, and people with disabilities. This book highlights the disparities in attainment and opportunity of marginalised and minority groups in Southeast Asia to their rights. It examines how marginalisation is experienced, with case studies ranging from a regional approach to country context. Paying attention to how broader socio-economic and political structures affect different people's access to, or denial of, their fundamental human rights and freedoms, the book argues that tackling human rights abuses remains a major hurdle for the countries in Southeast Asia.Providing a broader conceptual framework on marginalisation and human rights in Southeast Asia and a new assessment of these issues, this book will be of interest to readers in the fields of Asian Law, Human Rights in Asia, and Southeast Asian Studies, in particular Southeast Asian Politics.

Islam in India: History, Politics and Society is based on the historical and contemporary relevance of the religion and its related culture(s) in India. Besides being a major religious doctrine, Islam has been the main political ideology for many dynasties in India such as Delhi Sultanate (1206-1451); the Illbaris Turks (also known as Mamluk 1206–90); Khiljis (1290–1320); Tughlaqs (1320–1414); Sayyids (1414–51), Afghans and the Mughal Empire. Islam played a pivotal role in shaping the polity and society during the period of each dynasty. This book argues that Islam in India ought to be seen not only as a political and religious ideology of the dynasties, but also as a significant force that shaped the cultural fabric of the country. Print edition not for sale in South Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Bhutan)

This book expands the scope of understanding of the vast, albeit uneven, experience of the 1947 Partition of India by including localities and life stories from and beyond the regions of Punjab and Bengal.Building on existing research on Partition, the chapters present and analyse the consequences of Partition displacement and the resilience of communities in different parts of the nation. Regions discussed include the Chitmahals, Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, Hyderabad, Andaman Islands, and Jammu and Kashmir. The contributors show that the heterogeneity of people's experiences reside in spaces of the family, home, neighbourhoods, villages, towns and cities refugee settlements, letters, memoirs, biographies, films, fiction, oral histories, and testimonies. The book examines the Partition's complex effects in regions, localities and contexts and its material and psychological ramifications.This book is a unique and comprehensive contribution in enabling a more complex understanding of how Partition played out and continues to do so for groups and generations across India. It will be of interest to a multidisciplinary audience, including history, literature, comparative literature, colonial and postcolonial studies, modern Asian studies, studies of South Asia, and studies of memory and trauma.

This book analyzes the emergence, rise, and decline of insurgency by the Pakistani Taliban in Pakistan's North-Western region, also known as Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). It provides a detailed account of the rise and decline of the FATA insurgency and also examines aftereffects of the insurgency.Offering an in-depth analysis of how insurgency in the FATA began in 2004 after Pakistan entered its military forces into the tribal areas, the author illustrates that the insurgency erupted when state repression on masses is combined with a disruption of the previous modus vivendi centered on co-optation of local elites. In the following years, the insurgency became so powerful that most of the FATA region fell under the control of the insurgents. The book further argues that a weak counterinsurgency strategy by the Pakistani government characterised by the overzealous use of force and a failure to win the support of local communities led the insurgency to become stronger and expand its control. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that a more robust counterinsurgency strategy, relying more on a determined and a judicious use of force and attempts to gain the trust and support of local communities, adopted in the later years led to the collapse of the insurgency. In short, this book offers an explanation of what makes an insurgency more likely to occur and how insurgency escalates and declines. In addition, this book sheds light on recent development in FATA including the merger of FATA with the mainstream Pakistan, the rise of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, a non-violent protest movement, and the resurgence of the Pakistani Taliban especially after the Afghan Taliban capture of Kabul in the wake of US withdrawal of forces in Afghanistan.This book is a timely addition to the literature on South Asian Politics and Security Studies.

Sufism in Eighteenth-Century India focuses on one particular treasure from surviving Persian manuscripts in India, Nāla-yi ʿAndalīb, written by Muḥammad Nāṣir ʿAndalīb (d. 1759), a Naqshbandī Mujaddidī mystical thinker. It explores the convergence and interrelation of the text with its context to find how ʿAndalīb revisits the central role of the Prophet as the main protagonist in his allegorical love story with great attention to the circumstances of the Muslim community during the eighteenth century.The present volume elucidates ʿAndalīb's Sufism calling for a return to the pristine form of Islam and the idealization of the first Muslim community. It considers his Ṭarīqa-yi Khāliṣ Muḥammadiyya as a derivation of the Ṭarīqa-yi Muḥammadiyya, which had an important role in promoting Islam. The book attempts to clarify and systematize all of the concepts which ʿAndalīb employs within the framework of the Khāliṣ Muḥammadiyya, such as the state of the nāṣir and the Khāliṣ Muḥammadī. It addresses controversial topics in religion, such as the struggles between Shiʿa and Sunni Muslims, and the controversies between Shuhūdīs and Wujūdīs. It illuminates two key personalities, Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq and ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib, and two types of relationships, the maʿiyya and ʿayniyya, with the spirituality of the Prophet.The book will be of interest to scholars and students interested in Islamic studies, Islamic mysticism, the intellectual history of Muslims in South Asia, the history of the Mughal Empire, Persian literature, studies of manuscripts, Islamic philosophy, comparative studies of religions, social studies, anthropology, and debates concerning the eighteenth century, such as the transition from pre-colonialism to colonialism and the origins of modernity in Islam.

Sufism in India and Central Asia is an attempt to put into perspective the relevance of Sufism – the concept and teaching, and to provide a realistic assessment of its role in India and Central Asia. The people of these regions with different ethnic backgrounds, cultures and languages have been intermingling for many centuries, as seen in the cross-current exchanges of religious ideas and belief. The word Sufism, popularly known as mysticism is most likely derived from the Arabic word suf (meaning “wool”), more specifically it means “the person wearing ascetic woollen garments.” Sufism is deeply rooted in Islam and its development began in the late 7th and 8th centuries. The present volume is an attempt to look for answers to questions in relation to Sufism in India and Central Asia and to evaluate its relevance in the contemporary period. A group of distinguished scholars from India and Central Asia have contributed papers to this volume. This volume will be useful to students and researchers working on social and cultural aspects of India and Central Asia.

This book situates the discourse on the gendered body within the rapidly transitioning South Asian socio-economic and cultural landscape. It critically analyzes gender politics from different disciplinary perspectives including psychoanalysis, post-structuralism, post-colonialism and law among others. Enriched by contributions from well-known South Asian feminist scholars, this book discusses themes such as democracy and dissent, citizenship and violence and how the female body has historically been used in these discussions as a shield and a weapon. It also focuses on technology and misogyny, the politics of veiling and unveiling, the body of the Muslim women in contemporary India as well as bodies which are marginalized or labelled transgressive or monstrous. The chapters in the volume showcase the complexities, convergences and divergences which exist in the conception and understanding of the gendered body, sexuality and gender roles in different socio-cultural spaces in South Asia and how women negotiate these boundaries.Topical and comprehensive, this book will be useful for scholars and researchers of gender studies, sociology, political sociology, social anthropology, cultural studies, post-colonial studies and South Asian studies.

The Routledge Handbook of Ancient, Classical, and Late Classical Persian Literature contains scholarly essays and sample texts related to Persian literature from 650 BCE through the 16th century CE. It includes analyses of some seminal ancient texts and the works of numerous authors of the classical period.The chapters apply a disciplinary or interdisciplinary approach to the many movements, genres, and works of the long and evolving body of Persian literature produced in the Persianate World. These collections of scholarly essays and samples of Persian literary texts provide facts (general information), instructions (ways to understand, analyze, and appreciate this body of works), and the field's state-of-the-art research (the problematics of the topics) regarding one of the most important and oldest literary traditions in the world.Thus, the Handbook's chapters and related texts provide scholars, students, and admirers of Persian poetry and prose with practical and direct access to the intricacies of the Persian literary world through a chronological account of key moments in the formation of this enduring literary tradition.The related Handbook (also edited by Kamran Talattof), Routledge Handbook of Post Classical and Contemporary Persian Literature, covers Persian literary works from the 17th century to the present.

This book highlights emerging trends and new themes in South Asian history. It covers issues broadly related to religion, materiality and nature from differing perspectives and methods to offer a kaleidoscopic view of Indian history until the late eighteenth century. The essays in the volume focus on understanding questions of premodern religion, material culture processes and their spatial and environmental contexts through a study of networks of commodities and cultural and religious landscapes. From the early history of coastal regions such as Gujarat and Bengal to material networks of political culture, from temples and their connection with maritime trade to the importance of landscape in influencing temple-building, from regions considered peripheral to mainstream historiography to the development of religious sects, this collection of articles maps the diverse networks and connections across regions and time.The volume will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of history, archaeology, museum and heritage studies, religion, especially Hinduism, Sufism and Buddhism, and South Asian studies.

This book explores some of the political and methodological directions that collectively lead to the repositioning of Islam in social science research as both an epistemic/ontological category and as a method. Chapters by experts in the field explore research in the Islamic context vis-à-vis these two distinct yet somehow interrelated frames. The question being raised here is how Islam as socio-religious notion is related to Islam as a theoretical/methodological framework. Taking cues from the experience of contributors, this book also examines the question if current methodologies or frames of references are pluralized enough to accommodate the question of Muslims or could the scholars themselves create alternative directions around the dominant spaces. The book offers ethnographic studies of Muslim communities mostly in minority settings and engages with a number of issues researchers encounter when dealing with the lived or everyday Islam. This book is essential reading for anyone engaged in the study of Muslims in the contemporary world. It will appeal to scholars of religious studies, studies of Islam in the West, anthropology, sociology, cultural studies, human geography, and research methods.

Ritual and practice are one of the most distinctive features of religion, and they are linked with its central beliefs. Islam is no exception here, and this Handbook covers many aspects of those beliefs and practices. It describes the variety of what takes place but mainly why, and what the implications of both the theory and practice have for our understanding of Islam. The book includes accounts of prayer, food, pilgrimage, mosques, and the various legal and doctrinal schools that exist within Islam, with the focus on how they influence practice.The volume is organized in terms of texts, groups, practices, places, and others. An attempt has been made to discuss the wide range of Muslim ritual and practice and provide a sound guide to this significant aspect of the religious life of one of the largest groups of believers in the world today.

Secret Documents of Intelligence Branch on Father of the Nation, Bangladesh: Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is a 14-volume set of declassified documents edited by Sheikh Hasina, Honorable Prime Minister of Bangladesh. These are a compilation of the files maintained by the Intelligence Branch of Pakistan Government on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who emerged as the sole leader of the country and became Bangabandhu (Friend of Bangladesh). For his long-standing struggle and contribution in fostering notions of Bengali nationhood that led to the independence of Bangladesh, he has been honored as the Father of the Nation. The volumes provide records for period 1948 to 1971 and chronologically elucidate the trajectory of the various movements and political struggles that led to the formation of an independent nation state called People's Republic of Bangladesh. These include the 1952 Bengali Language Movement that catalyzed the assertion of Bengali national identity in the region and became a forerunner to Bengali nationalist movements. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman led the struggle for independence, first through massive populist and civil disobedience movements and later during the Bangladesh Liberation War. Important events cited in the present volumes include the 1954 United Front election victory, 1966 Six Point Movement, 1968 Agartala Conspiracy Case, 1969 mass uprising, 1970 election victory and 1971 Non-Cooperation Movement among others.These are the first ever declassified documents released by the Government of Bangladesh and will serve as an invaluable historical resource in understanding the liberation of Bangladesh.This 9th volume holds records for the year 1965.

Secret Documents of Intelligence Branch on Father of the Nation, Bangladesh: Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is a 14-volume set of declassified documents edited by Sheikh Hasina, Honorable Prime Minister of Bangladesh. These are a compilation of the files maintained by the Intelligence Branch of Pakistan Government on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who emerged as the sole leader of the country and became Bangabandhu (Friend of Bangladesh). For his long-standing struggle and contribution in fostering notions of Bengali nationhood that led to the independence of Bangladesh, he has been honored as the Father of the Nation. The volumes provide records for period 1948 to 1971 and chronologically elucidate the trajectory of the various movements and political struggles that led to the formation of an independent nation state called People's Republic of Bangladesh. These include the 1952 Bengali Language Movement that catalyzed the assertion of Bengali national identity in the region and became a forerunner to Bengali nationalist movements. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman led the struggle for independence, first through massive populist and civil disobedience movements and later during the Bangladesh Liberation War. Important events cited in the present volumes include the 1954 United Front election victory, 1966 Six Point Movement, 1968 Agartala Conspiracy Case, 1969 mass uprising, 1970 election victory and 1971 Non-Cooperation Movement among others.These are the first ever declassified documents released by the Government of Bangladesh and will serve as an invaluable historical resource in understanding the liberation of Bangladesh.This 8th volume holds records for the year 1964.

The South Asian region has been especially prone to mass displacement and relocations owing to its varied geographical settings as well as socio-political factors. This book examines the women's perspective on issues related to displacement, loss, conflict, and rehabilitation.It maps the diverse engagements with women's experiences of displacement in the South Asian region through a nuanced examination of unexplored literary narratives, life writing and memoirs, cultural discourses, and social practices. The book explores themes like sexuality and the female body, women and the national identity, violence against women in Indian Partition narratives, and stories of exile in real life and fairy tales. It also offers an understanding of the ruptures created by dislocation and exile in memory, identity, and culture by analyzing the spaces occupied by displaced women and their lived experiences. The volume looks at the multiplicity of reasons behind women's displacement and offers a wider perspective on the intersections between gender, migration, and marginalization. This book will be useful for scholars and researchers of cultural studies, literature, gender studies, conflict studies, development studies, South Asian studies, refugee studies, diaspora studies, and sociology.

As a Princely State, Hyderabad was the largest in population among over 560 tributary states under British paramountcy in colonial India. This book is a collection of profiles and sketches of some of the most important and influential people from the erstwhile Hyderabad State during the first half of the 20th century, which marked the last decades of its existence as a distinct entity under the British Raj. It features profiles of Mir Osman Ali Khan, the Seventh Nizam; Mir Laik Ali, the last Prime Minister of Hyderabad; Kasim Razvi; some of the Nizam's administrators and diplomats; as well as Sir Walter Monckton, the Nizam's British Constitutional Advisor; amongst others. Unfolding the pages of history, the text gives an insight into the administration and affairs of Hyderabad during this time, through an examination of the lives of the people closely associated with it.A unique contribution to the literature on modern Indian and colonial history, this book will be indispensable for students and researchers of history, modern Indian history, colonialism, imperial history, biography, and South Asia studies. It will also appeal to general readers interested in the history of Hyderabad.

This book provides analysis of the legal status of territories of the former Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir, considering potential opportunities for Kashmir conflict resolution.Containing a detailed survey of relevant legislation and international documents, chapters throughout this book investigate the attempts and failures of Kashmir conflict resolution, holding up factors which could enable more peaceful relations between India and Pakistan with inclusion of the inhabitants of the erstwhile Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir. The book goes further than outlining how India and Pakistan determine the legal status of their portions of Kashmir by demonstrating the complexity of legal arrangements and why this protracted conflict is so difficult to resolve. As the Kashmir conflict is not only about territory and irredentism, themes such as cultural and national identity, power procurement, territorial security, communal rivalry, religious radicalisation, economic factors, and social issues are all taken into consideration.Law and Conflict Resolution in Kashmirwill appeal to students and scholars of peace and conflict studies, international relations, international law studies, and South Asian studies.Chapter 15 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

This volume examines nationhood as a concept and how it became the basis of political discourse in South Asia. It studies the emergence of nationalism in modern states as a powerful, omnipotent, and omnipresent form of political identity in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.This book examines the idea of a nation, as it originated in medieval Europe, as an unending process of'othering'individuals, groups, and communities to establish its hegemony, exclusivity, and absolute power within a political discourse. It sheds light on how these new political frameworks in the name of nationalism resulted in conflicts and bloodshed. It unleashed politics of retribution and facilitated majoritarianism, minority persecution, and collective authoritarianism which devastated individuals and collectivities. Further, the author also discusses various prominent ideas and contemporary theories on nationalism alongside pivotal socio-cultural factors which have significantly shaped the formation of modern nation states and their politics.Topical and nuanced, this book will be indispensable to researchers, scholars, and readers interested in nationalism, political science, modern history, political theory, political philosophy, political sociology, political history, post-colonial studies, and South Asia studies.