Beyond Othering - (Syracuse Studies on Peace and Conflict Resolution) by Debidatta Aurobinda Mahapatra & Seema Shekhawat (Paperback)

About the Book

A comprehensive account of how the Gandhian approach to nonviolence and belonging is essential for enduring peace in South Asia.

Book Synopsis

Mohandas K. Gandhi opposed the 1947 partition of British India that created two independent states of India and Pakistan, as he believed that partition politics, rooted in the psychology of othering, would turn South Asia into a near permanent conflict zone. His apprehension was not without basis. The psychology of othering that engendered partition continues to manifest itself in multiple ways, including, but not limited to, interstate wars and communal violence. It permeates not only politics at a higher level but also everyday life. In exploring partition and post-partition developments in South Asia in this interdisciplinary work, Mahapatra and Shekhawat argue for a Gandhian approach to transform the conflict landscape in South Asia.

The authors illustrate how Gandhian principles of multicultural belonging and pluralism are key to resolving conflicts not just in South Asia but across the world. Beyond Othering is a timely and relevant contribution to the discourse on conflict resolution, making it essential reading for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners interested in peacebuilding in the region and beyond.

Review Quotes

Beyond Othering demands that we refuse to accept the status quo of continued violence in the name of "stability," that we recognize the psychological roots that underpin conflict, and that we shift from strategies of conflict management to ones of conflict transformation. In doing so, the book is an important counterweight to prevailing approaches in both scholarship and policy.-- "H-Net"

Conflicts between individuals and nations have complex origins, the commonest being the process of 'othering' or putting them outside the pale of normal relations. This book is an excellent example of how the process works and the application of the Gandhian conceptual framework. It throws considerable light on South Asia and should interest students of the region as well as international relations in general. I recommend it strongly.-- "Bhikhu Parekh, House of Lords, author of Rethinking Multiculturalism: Cultural Diversity and Political Theory"

In this immensely valuable study, the authors confront us with the philosophical and practical values of Gandhian conflict resolution in the context of the othering mindset in the South Asian region...This book invites us to explore new pathways for peacebuilding, by replacing traditional power structures which continue to create violence, domination, and coercive hierarchies, with structures based on nonviolence, inclusion, and co-existence.-- "Ramin Jahanbegloo, O.P. Jindal Global University"

About the Author

Debidatta Aurobinda Mahapatra is professor of political science at the Florida State College at Jacksonville.

Seema Shekhawat teaches politics at the University of North Florida. She is also an Honorary Fellow at Royal Holloway, London. She is the author of Gender, Conflict and Peace in Kashmir.