This enthralling volume tells the story of one of the world's greatest cultural heartlands - the Indian sub-continent. It shows how geological movements moulded the land of this unique cradle and how they still impact on it; from the early settlers, the great Mogul Empire and the British Raj, through the impact of railways, the development of irrigation systems on the economy and the spread of representative democracy.Discussions are woven around the three major forces of integration. These are 'identitive' forces - bonds of language, ethnicity, religion or ideology; 'utilitarian' forces - bonds of common material interest, and 'coercion' - the institutional use or threat of physical violence. By studying these forces, Professor Chapman shows how the organisation of territory - as states and empires, as monarchic realms and as representative democracies - has been central to the region's historic, cultural, linguistic and economic development. Anyone who is planning on carrying out research in South Asia or indeed anyone who simply wishes to understand more about this cultural heartland should read this book.In addition to the material on the Northwest frontier, Afghanistan and Kashmir which was added for the second edition, the Northeastern borderlands are also now examined in this fully revised third edition. The current geopolitical state of the region is completely updated and greatly enhanced.

Contents: Foreword; Part I Introduction: Brahma and Manu: of mountains and rivers, gods and men; Hinduism: the manifold of man and God; Islam: submission to the one true god. Part II The British Raj: The usurpers: the life and death of John Company; Securing the Empire; A new geography: anew economy; The new nationalisms and the politics of reaction. Part III The Successor States: Divide and quit; New lines on the map; From 2 to 3: the birth of Bangladesh; Raj and swaraj: regionalism and integration in the successor states; The forgotten sisters: India's Northeast; The power upstream; The greater game. Part IV Conclusions: States and regions in South Asia; References and bibliography; Index.