Midnight’s Descendants - South Asia from Partition to the Present Day (2014)

If British India Had Not Been Partitioned In 1947, Its Population Would Today Be Comfortably The World's Largest. At C1.5 Billion, Midnight's Descendants (the Offspring Of Those Affected By 'the Midnight Hour' Partition) Already Outnumber Europeans And Chinese; And They Are Growing Faster Than Either. By 2020 They Will Constitute A Quarter Of The World's Entire Population. As Well As Comprising The Peoples Of What Is Now Called 'south Asia' (the Preferred Term For The Partitioned Subcontinent Of Modern India, Pakistan And Bangladesh, Plus Nepal And Sri Lanka) They Are Widely Established Across The Globe.midnight's Descendants Is The First General History Ever Published To Treat The Region As A Whole. Correlating And Contrasting The Fortunes Of All The Constituent Nations Over The Last Six Decades Affords Unique Insights Into The Tensions And Conflicts That Divide What Is Being Hailed As One Of The World's Most Dynamic Regions.written By A Widely Respected Expert On The Region, The Book Will Be The First Account To Incorporate The Rich Story Of South Asia's Transnational, Or 'diasporic', Peoples. It Will Examine Attitudes Towards Their Homeland Of The 22 Million Overseas South Asians, And Will Assess Their Contributions To The Self-image Of The Parent States, To Economic Survival In The Case Of Nepal, Pakistan And Bangladesh, And To India's Globalised Achievement.like Midnight's Children, Midnight's Descendants Will Be Expansive And Tumultuous In The Great Tradition Of India's Narrative Epics. "Dispersed across India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, Midnight's Descendants--the generations born since the 1947 'midnight hour partition' of British India--are the world's fastest growing population. This vast region and its peoples wield an enormous influence over global economics and geopolitics, yet their impact is too often simplified by accounts that focus solely on one nation and ignore the intricate web of affiliations that shape relations among British India's successor states. Now, in Midnight Descendants, celebrated historian John Keay presents the first comprehensive history of this complex and interconnected region, delving deep into the events that have shaped its past and continue to guide its future. The 1947 partition was devastating to the larger of the newly created states, and it continues to haunt them to this day. Joined by their common origin and the fear of further partition, the five key nations of South Asia have progressed in tandem to a large degree. These countries have been forced to grapple with common challenges, from undeveloped economies and fractured societies to foreign interventions and the fraught legacy of imperialism, leaving them irrevocably intertwined. Combining authoritative historical analysis with vivid reportage, Keay masterfully charts South Asia's winding path toward modernization and democratization over the past sixty years. Along the way, he unravels the volatile India-Pakistan relationship; the rise of religious fundamentalism; the wars that raged in Kashmir and Sri Lanka; and the fortunes of millions of South Asia migrants dispersed throughout the world, creating a full and nuanced understanding of this dynamic region. Expansive and dramatic, Midnight's Descendants is a sweeping narrative of South Asia's recent history, from the aftermath of the 1947 partition to the region's present-day efforts to transcend its turbulent past and assume its rightful role in global politics"-- Provided by publisher "An epic narrative history that compares and contrasts the fortunes of all the countries that make up South Asia. If British India had not been partitioned in 1947, its population would today be the world's largest. At c1.5 billion, Midnight's Descendants (the offspring of those affected by 'the midnight hour' Partition) already outnumber Europeans and Chinese; and they are growing faster than either. They comprise all the peoples of what is now called 'South Asia' (the preferred term for the partitioned subcontinent of modern India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, plus Nepal and Sri Lanka). Midnight's Descendants is the first history of the region as a whole. Correlating and contrasting the fortunes of all the constituent nations over the last six decades affords unique insights into what is hailed as one of the world's most dynamic regions. John Keay is an expert on the region and the book will be the first account to incorporate the rich story of South Asia's transnational, or 'diasporic', peoples--from the overlooked narratives of the subcontinent to the rise of India as a global force, Midnight's Descendants will be expansive and tumultuous in the great tradition of India's narrative epics."--From publisher. The first modern history of all South Asia's peoples. If British India had not been partitioned in 1947, its population would today be the world's largest. At c1.5 billion, Midnight's Descendants (the offspring of those affected by 'the midnight hour' Partition) already outnumber Europeans and Chinese; and they are growing faster than either. They comprise all the peoples of what is now called 'South Asia' (the preferred term for the partitioned subcontinent of modern India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, plus Nepal and Sri Lanka). 'Midnight's Descendants' is the first history of the region as a whole. Correlating and contrasting the fortunes of all the constituent nations over the last six decades affords unique insights into what is hailed as one of the world's most dynamic regions. John Keay is an expert on the region and the book will be the first account to incorporate the rich story of South Asia's transnational, or 'diasporic', peoples – from the overlooked narratives of the subcontinent to the rise of India as a global force, 'Midnight's Descendants' will be expansive and tumultuous in the great tradition of India's narrative epics. HardCover. Pub Date :2014-01-16 416 English HarperCollins UK An epic narrative history that compares and contrasts the fortunes of all the countries that make up South Asia.If British India had not been partitioned in 1947. its population would today be the world's largest At c1.5 billion. Midnight's Descendants (the offspring of those affected by 'the midnight hour' Partition) already outnumber Europeans and Chinese;. and they are growing faster than either They comprise all the peoples. of what is now called 'South Asia' (the preferred term for the partitioned subcontinent of modern India. Pakistan and Bangladesh. plus Nepal and Sri Lanka). 'Midnight's Descendants' is the first history of the region as a whole. Correlating and contrasting the fortunes of all the constituent nations over the last six decades affords unique insights into what is h... "In Midnight's Descendants, John Keay presents the first general history of present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka and its peoples. The book examines the complex web of affiliations--of kinship, locality, language, tribe, clan, profession, and caste--that shape relations among the countries in the region. Keay argues that correlating and contrasting the fortunes of all the constituent nations since the 1947 partition affords unique insights into the tensions and conflicts that divide the region to this day"-- Provided by publisher