From Family to Police Force: Security and Belonging on a South Asian Border

From Family to Police Force explores the production and contestation of social, familial, and national order on a South Asian borderland, highlighting the roles of civil and border police, the air wing of the armed forces, paramilitary forces, and intelligence agencies. Drawing on long-standing anthropological engagement with the region, Farhana Ibrahim offers a bird's-eye view of these groups and shows how policing is enacted at multiple scales, including the personal.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 210 pages
Publication date: 15 November 2021
Publisher: Cornell University Press

From Family to Police Force delves into the intricate dynamics of social, familial, and national order on a South Asian borderland. In the borderland that separates Kutch, a district in the western Indian state of Gujarat, from Sindh, a southern province in Pakistan, a complex web of forces operates. These include civil and border police, the air wing of the armed forces, paramilitary forces, and various intelligence agencies that deploy officers to the region. These groups are the primary actors in the realm of security and policing. Farhana Ibrahim provides a comprehensive overview of these groups, drawing on her extensive anthropological engagement with the region. She offers a bird's-eye view of these organizations, highlighting their roles in policing on multiple levels.

Ibrahim's analysis reveals that policing extends beyond the nation-state, encompassing various scales. She meticulously examines policing practices, showcasing how they unfold at the personal, familial, and community levels. By integrating families and individuals into the broader picture, Ibrahim sheds light on the intricate connections and interactions that shape everyday life in the borderland.

Furthermore, From Family to Police Force goes beyond the traditional scope of policing, exploring the distinctions between the act of policing and the institution of the police. Ibrahim critically examines the ways in which power, authority, and legitimacy are exercised in the context of policing. She questions the role of the state, the military, and other actors in shaping the practices and outcomes of policing in the borderland.

Through her insightful analysis, From Family to Police Force offers a valuable contribution to our understanding of the complex dynamics of security, policing, and power in South Asian borderlands. It sheds light on the ways in which families, communities, and state institutions interact and collaborate, shaping the social, familial, and national orders of the region. This book is a must-read for scholars, researchers, and policymakers interested in understanding the complexities of borderland politics and security.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781501759543