Panel 27: Thinking with Geography: States and the Spatial

Chair: Caroline Hughes, University of Notre Dame

Panelists

Vikram Das, Heidelberg University, “Connection, Disconnection: Merging Identities and Histories of Belonging in the Thar Desert of Pakistan”

My paper focuses on the history and identity of Thar that has now merged into Sindhi identity. This new identity has been constructed in the context of fencing the Indo-Pak border, new infrastructure development and Sindhi nationalism. The region geographically and culturally has remained an independent territory in history. Now it is situated in Pakistan’s Sindh province. People always identified Thar as geographically, linguistically, and environmentally a separate land from Sindh. For Thar, Sindh has always remained culturally and geographically a separate territory. More importantly, Sindh always remained a “green place” for survival especially in winter harvesting seasons or in droughts years. The wars of 1965 and 1971, the fencing of the border, and recent infrastructure and connectivity has brought a newly constructed history and identity to the Thar. During the course of my research, in conversations with the elderly in Thar, there were often nostalgic references to the historic connections with Marwar and Gujarat regions, now in India. However, younger Tharis, especially those with modern and formal education employed in non-governmental organizations and the Sindh government, linked their history with Moen Jo Daro and other aspects of Sindh.

There are several reasons for this identity reformulation, but one reason is that after the fencing of the border with India, which ended informal border crossings. The increased connectivity with Sindh coincided with the growth in literacy and created a new sense of patriotism among Tharis. This new patriotism emphasizes Sindhiness which was previously not the case in Thar.

Hamraz Ahmad, Deakin University, “Tea Commerce and Development: Spatial Reproduction of State through Quetta Cafes in Islamabad”

Quetta Cafes (QCs), an informal chain of tea selling cafes run by Pashtuns – an ethnic group residing in Northwestern Pakistan and Afghanistan that migrated to Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, in the wake of violence, poverty, and climate change – constitute a site where an immigrant commerce is becoming part of state processes by negotiating space and reproducing segregations caused by real estate-based development model of Islamabad. Real estate being the most profitable sector in Pakistan’s economic growth has produced ethnic, class, and gender exclusions through widespread gated communities and neighborhoods that mark distinctions between identities in Islamabad.

QCs, now a significant expression of urban culture in the country, operate across all developmental geographies of the city as there are over 700 QCs in Islamabad alone. Notwithstanding a standardized menu and taste, QCs are recorded to have varying rate lists, service, and ambience which are usually in accordance with the neighborhood they operate in. Being a sphere where identities interact and public discourse takes shape (cf. Habermas), it is important to explore how QCs negotiate their space in Islamabad vis-a-vis planning, revenue, and security authorities, as well as normalize their visibility in diverse contexts, hence reproducing state spaces (cf. Lefebvre). An exploration of the archives of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), history of policing, and land management delineates how planning and expansion of Islamabad perpetuates exclusions and an ethnographic engagement with the stories of QCs-related Pashtuns illuminates the negotiations that have resulted in ubiquitousness of an immigrant commerce in Islamabad.

Manoka Y, Kent State University, “Law of War and Geography: Exploring Article 20 of the Paris Peace Accords and Its Impact on Southeast Asian Conflict and Genocide During the Vietnam War”

The Vietnam War left an indelible mark on international law and human rights, prompting efforts to address war crimes and promote accountability. The Paris Peace Accords of 1973, amidst the chaos of conflict, aimed to provide a resolution. Article 20 of these accords, focusing on war crimes, intended to establish accountability mechanisms. However, Southeast Asia’s geography, characterised by dense forests and remote regions, posed unique challenges to enforcement. Despite Article 20’s provisions, the Cambodian genocide under the Khmer Rouge regime unfolded largely unchecked. The remoteness of Cambodia’s killing fields hindered international intervention, allowing atrocities to continue. This essay explores how geographical factors influenced the implementation of Article 20, particularly regarding the Cambodian genocide. It underscores the limitations of international law in conflict zones and emphasises the need to address geographical realities in shaping legal frameworks and interventions.