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Sectarianism or Separatism: The Shia Dilemma and the Discourse of Azadi in Kashmir

Monday, April 25, 2022 at 12:15pm

Uris Hall, G08
Central Campus

Talk by Syed Jaleel Hussain

The ethnic, linguistic and religious diversity has been an essential feature of life in Kashmir for centuries. The majority of the Muslim population is Sunni along with sizeable pockets of Shia minority. Shias have played a critical role in the socio-political and cultural life of Kashmir. They were part of the valiant defiance of the Mughal designs in the Chak and post-Chak Kashmir, were involved with the resistance against Dogra oppression, and actively participated in the political struggle against Indian rule after 1947. The overall political posture of Shias regarding the essential elements of the resolution of Kashmir conflict is not starkly different from the majority Sunnis. For most part of the modern history Shias have supported the azadi movement towards a sovereign and independent Kashmir.  However, after the 1980s, the Shia discourse about azadi and insurgency gradually turned ambivalent with the growing internal group contestation amongst Shias due to internal and external factors. The internal factors include the growing electoral competition and a rise in the incidents of sectarian violence in Kashmir. The political developments in Pakistan, Iran and the Arab world have become the external determinants of Shia thinking about the Kashmir issue.

Syed Jaleel Hussain is a Fulbright post-doctoral fellow at the South Asia Program, Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies at Cornell University. He is an Assistant Professor at Nelson Mandela Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. He is a University Gold Medalist, an ICSSR doctoral fellow, a recipient of UGC’s Senior Research Fellowship and Gandhi Smriti Fellowship for Masters Programme. His research articles have been published in national and international peer reviewed journals like the Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs, Journal of Defence Studies, Economic & Political Weekly and South Asian Journal of Diplomacy. His op-ed articles have appeared in Indian English dailies like the Indian Express, the Sunday Guardian, Afghan Zariza, Greater Kashmir and others. He has previously been associated with Delhi Policy Group, a think tank based in Delhi. His primary research interests are in the areas of culture and strategy, global nuclear issues, ethnic conflicts and issues of conflict & security in South Asia and West Asia.

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Event Type

Lecture

Departments

Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies, Asian Studies, South Asia Program

Tags

asianstudiescal

Cost

Free

Contact E-Mail

sap@cornell.edu

Contact Name

Gloria Lemus-Chavez

Contact Phone

(607) 253-2038

Dept. Web Site

https://bit.ly/SAPCornell

Open To

Cornell community only

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