Pashtun Identity and Geopolitics in Southwest Asia

This book juxtaposes vital issues of Pashtun identity, state formation, Taliban on both sides of the Durand Line, Frontier Crimes Regulation, security prerogative and the civil societies of Pakistan and Afghanistan, which since 9/11, have been posited in a rather precarious geopolitics. ‘Pashtun Identity and Geopolitics in Southwest Asia’ brings together Pakistan and Afghanistan as two inseparable entities by investigating areas such as the evolution and persistence of the Taliban, quest for Pashtun identity, the ambivalent status of the tribal region and the state of civic clusters on both sides. In addition to their relations with the United States and the EU, a due attention has been devoted to regional realties while looking at relations with India and China. The study explores vital disciplines of ethnography, history, Islamic studies, and international relations and benefits from a wide variety of source material. The volume takes into account the salient subjects including political Islam, nature and extent of violence since 9/11, failure of Western policies in the region, the Drone warfare, and the emergence of new regimes in Kabul, Islamabad and Delhi offering fresh opportunities as well as new threat perceptions.