A newly published academic anthology titled "Borders and Belonging," reviewed in contemporary South Asian geopolitical literature cited by The Indian Express, explores the complex sociological, legal, and human dimensions of state partition, contested territorial boundaries, and post-colonial citizenship disputes across the subcontinent.
The volume brings together interdisciplinary research from prominent historians, legal scholars, and anthropologists who examine how physical borders—such as the Radcliffe Line in Punjab and Bengal and the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir—have historically transformed ancestral migratory routes, separated families, and created enduring administrative ambiguities for borderland communities.
Contributors analyze the shifting jurisprudence of citizenship in South Asia, tracing how state identity registers, foreign tribunal proceedings, and border fencing projects shape everyday lived experiences in enclave regions like the Indo-Bangladesh borderlands. The research emphasizes that border residents frequently navigate dual realities: maintaining deep cross-border kinship and cultural ties while adhering to rigid national security regimes and passport controls.
Literary critics and political scientists highlight the anthology as an important scholarly contribution to post-colonial border studies, offering nuanced ground-level perspectives that challenge state-centric diplomatic narratives and underscore the persistent human yearning for dignity, mobility, and cultural belonging along contested frontiers.
