Patchwork States: The Historical Roots of Subnational Conflict and Competition in South Asia

Patchwork States explores the subnational politics of conflict and competition in South Asian countries, tracing roots to uneven state formation under colonial rule. It argues that contemporary India and Pakistan are patchwork states with enduring differences in state capacity and state-society relations, shaping patterns of political violence and electoral competition.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 280 pages
Publication date: 23 June 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Patchwork States delves into the intricate subnational politics of conflict and competition in South Asian countries, tracing their roots back to the uneven state formation under colonial rule. In the vast expanse of Colonial India, a complex tapestry of governance arrangements and state-society relations unfolded. Post-independence, postcolonial governments attempted to revise colonial governance institutions, albeit with limited success. The book posits that contemporary India and Pakistan can be aptly described as patchwork states, characterized by enduring disparities in state capacity and state-society relations within their national territories. The intricate nature of territorial governance in these countries shapes a range of political dynamics, including riots, rebellions, and variations in electoral competition and development across the political geography of the Indian subcontinent. By bridging the past and present, Patchwork States offers a transformative perspective on both the legacies of colonial rule and the historical roots of violent politics in South Asia and beyond.

In the vast expanse of Colonial India, a complex tapestry of governance arrangements and state-society relations unfolded. Post-independence, postcolonial governments attempted to revise colonial governance institutions, albeit with limited success. The book posits that contemporary India and Pakistan can be aptly described as patchwork states, characterized by enduring disparities in state capacity and state-society relations within their national territories. The intricate nature of territorial governance in these countries shapes a range of political dynamics, including riots, rebellions, and variations in electoral competition and development across the political geography of the Indian subcontinent. By bridging the past and present, Patchwork States offers a transformative perspective on both the legacies of colonial rule and the historical roots of violent politics in South Asia and beyond.

ISBN-13: 9781009158411