Radicalization in South Asia: Context, Trajectories and Implications

Radicalization in South Asia: Context, Trajectories and Implications presents a critical overview of radicalism, violence and terrorism in South Asia, a region that is diverse in terms of demography, religion, culture and political ideologies. While diversity could have worked as a push factor in strengthening democracies in the region, historically, fault lines in the South Asian faiths, culture, ethnicity, nationalism and political ideologies have triggered radical movements, and unleashed violence and terror attacks to destabilize democracies in the region.  Against the backdrop of the current wave of illiberalism and radicalism sweeping over the US, Europe, Middle East, Australia and Latin America, this book presents the most recent scenario of the context, trajectories and policy implications for radicalism, violence and terrorism in five South Asian countries including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives. It emphasizes the comparative insights provided by the changing values of South Asian society to offer a comprehensive picture of radicalization in this region.

Table of Contents:
Foreword by Irfan Habib Acknowledgements Introduction to Radicalization in South Asia: Context, Trajectories and Implications - Mubashar Hasan, Kenji Isezaki and Sameer Yasir Fortunes of Radicalism: Indian Maoists and the Dead End of Politics - Maidul Islam Kashmir’s Syncretic Tradition and Challenges of Radicalization in a Raging Conflict - Noor Ahmed Baba Terrorist Narratives and Recruitment in South Asia: The India Factor - Nazneen Mohsina and Sinan Siyech Religious and Political Transformations in the Maldives: The Macro-Level Contexts of Radicalization - Azim Zahir Counter-radicalization in Sri Lanka: A Blueprint for Action - Iraj De Alwis, Anishka De Zylva and Barana Waidyatilake Deradicalizing Militant Youth in Northern Pakistan - Raafia Raees Khan and Feriha N. Peracha Countering Radicalization through Education: Global Policy Trends and the Case of Pakistan - Fatima Waqi Sajjad Bangladesh’s ‘War on Terror’ and Madrasa Education - Asif bin Ali The Gender Dimension of Extremism: The Unfolding Links between Women and Extremism in Bangladesh - Shahab Enam Khan Perception of the Pathways towards Radicalization among Urban Youth in Bangladesh - Bulbul Siddiqi Developing Counter-narrative for De-radicalization in Bangladesh: Issues and Challenges - Mahbubur Rahman Index

About the Author :
Mubashar Hasan is presently a research fellow at the Department of Cultural Studies and Oriental Languages at the University of Oslo, Norway. In Bangladesh, he holds the position of an Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science and Sociology, North South University, Bangladesh.  In 2018, he was awarded an Emerging Early Career Research Award, 11th Global Studies Conference in University of Granada, Spain, by the Unites States-based Common Ground Research Network. He was previously a Bangladesh research fellow at the RESOLVE Network at the United States Institute of Peace, Washington, DC, and a shortterm visiting fellow at the American Institute of Bangladesh Studies and Institute for South Asian Studies, UC Berkeley (2016). He has a PhD from Griffith University, Australia, an MLitt in Muslims globalization and the West from the University of Aberdeen, UK, and an Msc in globalization—origin, development and contemporary impact from the University of Dundee, UK. His research on religion, politics and violence were published in leading journals such as Australian Journal of Politics and History, Asian Journal of Political Science, Harvard Asia Quarterly, India Quarterly and South Asia Research. He has published a chapter in the book titled Being Muslims in South Asia. His brief think pieces were published in Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, The Quint, Scroll.in, The Conversation, The Wire, Asian Correspondent, Firstpost and so forth.  He is currently writing his book Islam and Politics in Bangladesh.  Kenji Isezaki runs the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, and Global Campus programme at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies in Japan. He has served in several United Nations peacekeeping missions and when Japan became the lead country for the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programme for Afghanistan security sector reform (SSR), he directed DDR with the support of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and successfully disarmed 60,000 soldiers of the former Afghan military forces in two years. He has also served as the chief of DDR Coordination Section for the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL); UN-appointed governor of Cova Lima for the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET); and representative of the Japanese government to the DDR special committee by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations at United Nations Secretariat in New York. Apart from teaching, he currently serves as the Vice-President of the Association for Aid and Relief, a Japanese NGO which works in 14 post- and in-conflict countries, and also enjoys supports from Japanese imperial family.  Sameer Yasir is an independent researcher and until recently was associated with the Global Campus programme of Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. He was an assistant professor at the Centre for International Relations (Peace and Conflict Studies) at Islamic University of Science and Technology, where he taught conflict studies for five years and wrote academic and policy papers and was the youngest professor appointed by the university in its history. He is the winner of 2017 best academic article by Oxford Development Studies at Oxford Department of International Development, in the memory of late Professor Sanjaya Lall. His research focus is on armed conflict, rehabilitation of ex-combatants, and counter-insurgency (COIN) and radicalization in South Asia. He worked as Asia Programs Officer at the Information and Resource Center Asian Dialogue Society, Singapore.

Review :
‘We are constantly told that in understanding radicalization, the context and deep knowledge of local dynamics is crucial. That is why this book is such an important contribution. It will be a must read for anyone looking to understand the complex dynamics of radicalization and extremism in South Asia.’  ‘The literature on radicalization focuses mostly on the Middle East and Europe. The editors of the present volume have rightly pointed to the multifaceted scene of radicalization in South Asia and put together a fascinating collection of case studies. The chapters add new perspectives on the cause and context of radicalization, from the local and psychological to the global and structural, perspectives that will add value not only to the literature on radicalization as such but also to the literature on South Asia.’ ‘This book is a South–South effort, a fact that increases its relevance and importance. Its context-specific recommendations in several cases offer guidance to policymakers and practitioners, directly from the coalface. As such, this book is an important contribution to both the literature and practice.’