http://worldcat.org/entity/work/id/34378878

Tribalism, ethnicity, and the state in Pakistani Baluchistan : the economics and politics of detribalization in an Urban setting

At issue in this dissertation is the salience of tribal institutions and identities and that of ethnic or ethnic-nationalist ones among Baluch in Quetta, the capital of Pakistani Baluchistan. Some evidence indicates that tribes, the genealogically and territorially defined subunits of the Baluch, retain legitimacy and practical relevance in contemporary Baluchistan yet circumstances can readily move beyond the confines of tribes to activate more inclusive loyalties. The major proposition underlying this dissertation is that economic and political changes caused by Baluchistan's integration into Pakistan are encouraging such broader identities. It therefore seeks to assess the strength or relevance of tribalism and other identities and levels of social organization in Quetta and to examine the economic and political contexts in which they take shape. It suggests that broader, more inclusive ethnic, national, and religious identities are replacing tribalism, and that while these identities may be conflicting, they are not necessarily exclusive. People can choose to act on the basis of different principles in different social contexts, and indeed family, tribe, ethnic group, nationality, religion, etc. can all be viewed as identities that are partially autonomous but also embedded within one another.

Open All Close All