The Punjab Borderland: Mobility, Materiality and Militancy, 1947-1987

The Punjab Borderland provides a corrective to established historiographical narratives of an increasingly militarized border, highlighting narratives of border crossings and social relations built on mutual benefit and trust. It conceptualizes the making of the vast contraband as a catalyst for social mobility and political empowerment, revealing a bottom-up history of the Punjab border and the invention of the borderland society.

Format: Hardback
Length: 334 pages
Publication date: 16 June 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

The Punjab Borderland provides a captivating exploration of the intricate processes that shaped the new international boundary between India and Pakistan. By challenging the prevailing historiographical narratives that depict this border as a militarized zone characterized by hostility and inter-state tension, this book offers a fresh perspective. It highlights the narratives of border crossings and social relations that were built on mutual benefit and trust, providing a corrective to the conventional understanding of this region. Rather than merely viewing contraband as a means of evading the state's imposition of a partitioned geography, the book conceptualizes it as a catalyst for social mobility and political empowerment for the population involved. Moreover, it reveals a vibrant market for consumption in urban centers, driven by the activities of borderland societies. This book presents a bottom-up history of the Punjab border and the emergence of borderland society, narrating a story that resonates with local meanings and possesses transnational dimensions. By delving into the complexities of this region, it sheds light on the broader dynamics of borderlands and their significance in shaping global politics and society.

Weight: 576g
Dimension: 162 x 364 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781316517956