Ian Talbot Bücher

Concise history of Pakistan by noted scholar.

Focusing on Khizr Tiwana, the Unionist Premier of Punjab from 1942 to 1947, this biography explores his pivotal role during a critical period leading to the creation of Pakistan. It highlights the ideological clash between Tiwana and Jinnah regarding regional unity versus Muslim separatism. Despite the eventual triumph of the Pakistan demand, Tiwana's legacy was overshadowed by the Partition's upheaval. The contemporary context of communal conflict in India and Pakistan makes a re-examination of his commitment to cross-communal cooperation and decentralized power increasingly relevant.

"If Pakistan is to preserve all that is good about its country--the generosity and hospitality of its people, the dynamism of its youth--it must face the deterioration of its social and political institutions. Sidestepping easy headlines to identify Pakistan's true dangers, this volume revisits the major turning points and trends of Pakistani history over the past six decades, focusing on the increasing entrenchment of Pakistan's army in its political and economic arenas; the complex role of Islam in public life; the tensions between central and local identities and democratic impulses ; and the effect of geopolitical influences on domestic policy and development. While Ian Talbot's study centres on Pakistan's many failures--the collapse of stable governance, the drop in positive political and economic development, and, most of all, the unrealised goal of securing a separate Muslim state--his book unequivocally affirms the country's potential for a positive reawakening. These failures were not preordained, Talbot argues, and such a fatalistic reading does not respect the complexity of historical events, individual actors, and the state's own rich resources. While he acknowledges grave crises still lie ahead for Pakistan, Talbot's sensitive historical approach makes it clear that favourable opportunities still remain for Pakistan, in which the state has a chance to reclaim its priorities and institutions and reestablish political and economic sustainability."--Publisher information

This first volume in the series looks at a region that is all too often viewed through the prism of European experience: India and Pakistan. Ian Talbot provides a wide-ranging study of nationalism in a non-European context, showing how the 'invention' of modern India and Pakistan drew heavily for inspiration on indigenous values. Analyzing both the effects of colonial rule and the post-colonial aftermath, the book is a readable and up-to-date introduction to the major issues in the contemporary history of the sub-continent and an examination of a recent trend in historical writing to emphasize the extent to which nations are made, not born. The book explores whether the forging of the nation is a matter of conscious manipulation by an elite or guided by more popular imperatives or a combination of the two.

Focusing on the evolution of British diplomacy in Pakistan, the narrative spans from the end of the Raj in 1947 to the complexities of the 'War on Terror.' It provides a unique historical perspective, detailing the challenges and developments faced by the British mission in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape. The account highlights key events and figures that shaped diplomatic relations, offering insights into the interplay between politics and international relations in the region.

A first general history of one of the greatest cities of South Asia, examining the impact of colonialism: socially, architecturally and politically