Nuclear Flashpoint: The War Over Kashmir

by Farhan Chak

'An urgent and trenchant examination of Kashmir. Beautifully meshing history with modern political analysis, Chak masterfully  interrogates the flashpoints that make the Kashmir crisis one of the most politically sensitive issues in modern world history'  Khaled A. Beydoun, Law Professor and author of  American Islamophobia 'Chak’s skillful analysis explains how this unresolved crisis  threatens global peace'  Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz, Chairwoman of Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Center, Educator, Film-Producer 'Repeated clashes between India, Pakistan, and China over Kashmir threaten to erupt into a nuclear conflict. These disputes need to be resolved, which requires understanding their origins, the people of Kashmir and their struggles. This book provides essential insight'  Professor Brian Toon, Nasa Award Winner, University of Colorado The territory of Jammu and Kashmir is one of the most politically contested and heavily militarized spaces on the planet. It has long been presented as an “internal dispute”, mainly by India, in attempts to sustain power through settler colonialism. In this context, Kashmiri voices are rarely heard. In  Nuclear Flashpoint , Farhan Chak reveals how the history, culture, and the will of the people of Kashmir has been deliberately obscured to suit ideological agendas. He explores six unique time frames in Kashmiri history—from ancient Kashmir, through the British Raj, to the present day. Asking “who is a Kashmiri?”, Chak shines a light on the long cycle of revolt that continues in resistance movements today, and asks us to reconsider Kashmir’s ongoing quest for independence. Dr. Farhan Mujahid Chak  is the Secretary-General of Kashmir Civitas. He is Associate Professor of Political Science/International Affairs and Visiting Research Faculty in the Al-Waleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University and author of  Islam and Pakistan’s Political Culture .

Genres: Politics

240 pages, Paperback

Published November 20, 2023

Reviews

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book looking to learn more about Kashmir and its history and Nuclear Flashpoint: The War Over Kashmir did just that. This is a great resource for people interested in the history of the region, how India is engaging in settler-colonialism in Jammu and Kashmir, Hindutva and revisionism of the partition, and how Kashmir has been caught in the middle of worsening Sino-Indian relations. There are a few, limited instances here and there where I felt that some prior understanding of Indian culture/politics was necessary to fully understand the references Chak was making (like the concept of eternal Hinduness that I felt warranted just a little more explanation) and some chapters were a little stiffly formulaic (the introductions and conclusions were a bit repetitive), but overall this was a very informative read.

As I was going through the book, I looked up some of the topics mentioned on Wikipedia like the Hindu pilgrimage to Amarnath Yatra, and I was really surprised to see how the allegedly fabricated nature of the tradition didn't even get a mention on the page. I think this is rather representative of how little the Western English-speaking world knows about South Asian politics and therefore how dominant Hinduvta narratives are in the information that is available out there. In that context, this book makes a really important contribution to our understanding of Kashmir from the perspective of the Kashmiri people themselves.

[Naveed Bokhari · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is very difficult to come up with a fresh perspective on a topic that has been subject of so many books. Farhan Chak has done exactly that. The brief but comprehensive portion on history of Jammu and Kashmir is brilliantly written. Linking Hindutva mindset with the genesis and perpetuation of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute provides a very logical explanation for India's, especially BJP Government's, intransigent policy towards the disputed region and its resort to the worst kind of human rights abuses of the people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

[Addison Burns · Rating 3 out of 5]

didn't know anything about Kashmir before, and now i do.
not too academic imo.