Three Elections and Two State Actions - Has South Asia Finally Turned the Corner?

This paper addresses the issues of state- and nation-building and religion in South Asia. The author provides an outline of the creation of the states of Pakistan and Bangladesh and examines the role religion, especially Islam, played in this process. The paper then analyzes the elections held in Pakistan, Bangladesh and India in the 2008-2009 period, with the author suggesting that voters have spoken out against the expression of radicalism that had been developing. The author concludes that these events should create a respect for the authority of the state and encourage the use of institutions as a means of addressing grievances.

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