Erosion of Kalasha's Religio-Cultural Identity in Northern Pakistan: Context, Causes and Implications.

Belief in religion and practice of cultural constructs are critical factors that shape up people's perceptions about their social identity. Religiocultural identity is a source of recognition, self-actualization, and social acceptance. This paper examines the causal factors that lead to rapid erosion of religio-cultural identity of Kalasha community in Pakistan. A multitude of factors are responsible for this phenomenon. The study reveals that factors such as love marriages, threats from religious extremists, preaching of Islam by clergymen, teaching of Islamic Studies in public schools, extreme levels of poverty, highly expensive customs and rituals inscribed in Kalasha religion, technological development, social interface with surrounding communities, and lack of serious efforts on the part of government and civil society organizations to preserve the Kalasha culture are responsible for social transformation of Kalasha community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]