The Crisis in Kashmir: Portents of War, Hopes of Peace

About The Crisis in Kashmir: Portents of War, Hopes of Peace

The Crisis in Kashmir: Portents of War, Hopes of Peace is a scholarly study by political scientist Sumit Ganguly. If you are looking for a serious academic account of how the Crisis in Kashmir of the late 1980s and 1990s came about, this book is a well-known starting point. It was published in 1997 by the Woodrow Wilson Center Press together with Cambridge University Press. Lafz Bookstore is based in Srinagar and stocks one of the largest online collections of Kashmir books, and this title sits among the political studies on our shelves. For other details of the edition, please message us on WhatsApp at 9906523492 for details of the copy in stock.

This page describes the book as neutrally as possible. The views in it are the author’s own, and readers are encouraged to compare them with other works on the subject.

What the book is about

Ganguly’s central question is what triggered the insurgency in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. Drawing on fieldwork and interviews, he argues that the insurgency can be explained by two linked developments: growing political mobilisation among the people of the Valley, and the decay of political institutions that might have absorbed that mobilisation. In his reading, expanded access to education and media raised political awareness, while the channels through which people could express their grievances were narrowed. The author sees this gap as one of the key reasons why protest took a violent form rather than an institutional one.

Main themes to look for

• The author’s explanation of the origins of the insurgency in political mobilisation and institutional decay
• The role of education, communication and media in shaping political expectations in the Valley
• How political institutions in the state developed after 1947 and how the author assesses them
• The wider regional setting, including relations between India and Pakistan
• The author’s reflections on the prospects of peace, as the subtitle, Hopes of Peace, suggests

About the author

Sumit Ganguly is a scholar of South Asian politics and international security whose work has long focused on India, Pakistan and the conflict over Kashmir. This book belongs to a body of academic writing in which he examines how domestic politics, state institutions and regional rivalries interact. Readers who finish this volume may wish to explore other scholarly works on the same period to see how different authors weigh the same events.

Why the Crisis in Kashmir still matters to readers

Anyone trying to understand the history of Jammu and Kashmir needs to read more than one account. This book gives one carefully argued explanation of how the situation of the early 1990s emerged. Whether a reader agrees fully, partly or not at all with the author, the book raises questions about political participation, institutions and public expectations that remain relevant to students of South Asian politics. It also helps newer readers understand the vocabulary and the key events that appear again and again in later books and articles.

Who should read this book

• Students and researchers of political science, international relations and South Asian studies
• Candidates and teachers who need an academic source on the politics of Jammu and Kashmir
• Readers in Srinagar and across the Valley who like to read scholarly literature about their own region
• Libraries, colleges and research centres building a Kashmir studies shelf
• General readers who want a reasoned, academic introduction rather than a news report

How to read a book like this

Start with the introduction and the concluding chapter to understand the author’s argument, then read the middle chapters with a notebook. Mark every claim that rests on interviews, statistics or documents, and note the source. Compare the author’s explanation with at least one other scholarly work so that you can form your own balanced view. Remember that this is an academic analysis written in the 1990s, so it reflects the information and the outlook of its time.

Part of our Kashmir books collection

Lafz Bookstore, based in Srinagar, keeps a growing section of books on the history, politics, literature and society of Kashmir. This title is in our Politics and Kashmir category, where readers can find scholarly, historical and biographical works. Pairing this book with a history of the region gives a fuller picture than any single volume can.

Edition details

Title: The Crisis in Kashmir: Portents of War, Hopes of Peace. Author: Sumit Ganguly. Publisher: Woodrow Wilson Center Press with Cambridge University Press. First published: 1997. Language: English. For the binding, printing and condition of the copy in stock, please message us on WhatsApp at 9906523492 for details of the copy in stock. Same-day dispatch from Srinagar. Delivery takes about 1 day in Srinagar and 3 to 10 days across the rest of India.

Frequently asked questions

Who wrote The Crisis in Kashmir? The author is Sumit Ganguly.

When was it first published? It was published in 1997 by the Woodrow Wilson Center Press with Cambridge University Press.

What does the author argue? He argues that the insurgency can be understood through political mobilisation combined with the decay of institutions. This is the author’s own argument, and readers should weigh it alongside other scholarship.

Is the book written in English? Yes.

How quickly can I receive it? We dispatch the same day from Srinagar. Delivery is about 1 day in Srinagar and 3 to 10 days in the rest of India.

Can I ask about the copy in stock? Yes, please message us on WhatsApp at 9906523492 for details of the copy in stock.

Looking for more Kashmir books like this? Browse our Politics & Kashmir collection or explore all Kashmir Books. Follow Lafz Bookstore on Instagram for new arrivals and book recommendations.