Demography and Destiny in the Kashmir Valley

Abstract

The right to self-determination and, in many cases, secession often comes into conflict with another ‘natural right’: the right of a nation to protect its sovereignty and borders. This paper analyzes identity, state-building, and policy formation in Kashmir, a region in South Asia plagued by decades of violent conflict. Article 370 was written into the Indian Constitution to guarantee Kashmiris autonomy. Since then, the region has only grown more turbulent with the rise of insurgency and resistance among the local population. In August 2019, the Indian government revoked the special status accorded to Kashmir under Article 370, denying Kashmiris the limited autonomy they had enjoyed for over half a century. This paper will examine the causal drivers behind the Kashmiri movement for self-determination, centering Kashmiri voices on the issue. This thesis will review the definitions of nationalism and how Kashmir is in fact a nation, along with secessionist literature in order to develop a theory that the international community cannot be counted upon to intervene, even under catastrophic human rights violations. This thesis will then discuss the historical context of the Kashmir conflict, recent developments pertaining to the right-wing Hindutva Indian government’s demographic plans for Kashmir, counter cases, and policy recommendations. Based on this analysis, this paper will then propose policy recommendations. This paper relies on qualitative methods, including interviews, historical analysis, and content analysis.