Introduction
Decolonization of Asia and Africa in the post-WWII (1939-1945) period has culminated to the birth of several nation states. This process, on the other hand, has divided many colonized countries for fulfilling the nationalist aspirations and freedom struggle. The rise of nation states and partition of colonized countries are thus essentially linked with the 'conflict-induced forced migration' and 'voluntary migration' of people for survival. In the context of Asia, partition of Korea [North Korea and South Korea: 1950]. Vietnam [South Vietnam and North Vietnam: 1954-1976), Malaysia [Malaysia and Singapore: 1965), Indonesia [Indonesia and East Timor: 2000] and the partition(s) of British India [India and Pakistan: 1947) are full with territorial disputes and adjustment and 'forced migration of the religious, linguistic and ethnic minorities. Again the 'partition of Pakistan' and the birth of Bangladesh through the Liberation War [26th March to 16th December 1971] have not only fulfilled the nationalist desires of the Bengalese of East Pakistan but also reinforced the process of 'voluntary' and 'forced migration'. These trends of migration have eventually created a complex problem of citizenship for many people of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Naturally, citizenship of 'partition-induced migrants' [both voluntary and forced] is still a matter of great concern for both domestic and external affairs of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Simultaneously, the long-term consequences of 'voluntary migration' of the Nepali-speaking people to Bhutan and nation-building process in Bhutan had produced a chunk of stateless people [called the Bhupalese). In such a context, the question of NRC [National Register of Citizens) in Assam and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA-2019) of India and 'conflict-induced forced migration' from Myanmar to Bangladesh and India [especially of the Rohingyas] have led us to rethink about the long-term consequences of national movement for political autonomy including the formation of nation states, forced migration of people and 'contested citizenship'. The Concept of Migration and Migrants Forced migration' is a concept of social science that refers to the 'movement of refugees and internally displaced people ((or IDPs) including the people displaced by conflicts, environmental disasters, man-made disasters and development projects]. But forced migration is very much complex in actualities because of its wide ranging dimensions. In the academic discourse, the causative factors of forced migration have been broadly classified into four categories such as (1) conflict-induced displacement', (ii) 'development. induced displacement, (iii) disaster-induced displacement, and (iv) environment-induced 'crisis migration'. Let us have a brief idea about these driving forces of forced migration. Conflict-induced displacement is very much common in the entire world. It may be caused by armed conflicts, civil war, generalized violence and persecution on the grounds of nationality, race, religious and political opinion. The WW II (1939-1945) and the post-war decolonization in Asia and Africa [leading to the birth of several independent nation states] had produced a large number of conflict-induced displaced people. It was further increased in the newly-emerged nation states due to the growth of internal conflicts [intra-ethnic, intra-region and inter-region) on the grounds of language, nationality, ethnicity, internal colonialism, lop-sided economie development, terrorism and militancy. Along with the civil war in the African countries, it was/is quite high in the Asian countries like Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar (1947 to till date], Vietnam (1945-1976), Cambodia, Thailand, and even in Bhutan. All these countries have the experience of internal conflict with the questions of nationality and linguistic issues. In the recent years, the ISIS [The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) has produced a considerable number of conflict-induced displaced people who took shelter mainly to Europe [as asylum seekers]. 'Development-induced forced migration' is the manifestation of construction of infrastructure projects [such as dams, roads, ports, airports); urban clearance initiatives; mining and deforestation; and introduction of conservation and biosphere projects. Thus development projects [in connection with the national economy) are generating both the 'forced' and 'voluntary' migrants from the places of development programmes. The consequences of the development initiatives were/are full with complexity especially for the newly born nation states.
About the Book
'Citizenship' is considered to be a 'fundamental right' of an individual within the boundary of state of his/her origin. The democratic countries of the world thus have ensured 'right to citizenship' in their constitutions. But 'citizenship' has remained a 'contested one' for a considerable number of 'forced' and 'voluntary' migrants of the South Asian countries as well as for the dwellers of the Indo-Bangladeshi enclaves [popularly called chhitmahals]. After critically analyzing the historical development in India, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan, this book has examined the constitutional provisions of citizenship, citizenship acts, nature of statelessness', and nation building process in India, Bhutan and Bangladesh with a perspective of migration studies.
About About the Author
Dr. Rup Kumar Barman (b.1975) is a Professor of History at Jadavpur University (Kolkata, India). He is currently the Coordinator of the Centre for Ambedkar Studies of Jadavpur University. Dr. Barman has completed his BA (1996), MA (1998) and Ph.D (2006) from the University of North Bengal (Darjeeling, West Bengal, India). He served earlier St. Joseph's College, Darjeeling (2000-2001), ABN Seal (Govt.) College, Cooch Behar, (2001-2002), Department of History, Jadavpur University (2002-2006) as Lecturer of History. He has also served International Relations Department of Jadavpur University (2006-2009) as Associate Professor.
Dr. Barman has authored several research papers and nine books. Among them- From Tribalism to State (2007), Contested Regionalism (2007), Fisheries and Fishermen (2008), Partition of India and Its Impact on The Scheduled Caste of West Bengal (2012), Jatpat, Jati Rajniti O Dalit Pratarka (2019), The Origin and Evolution of the Enclaves of India and Bangladesh: A Historical Study (2019), Nature, Communities and State: An Environmental History of Bengal and Assam (2019), Practice of Folk Medicine in Sub-Himalayan Bengal: A Study on the Folk Medicinal Practices of the Rajbanshis in Historical Perspective, (2019); are noteworthy. At present he is working on Dalit Discourse, and 'history of rivers of South Asia.
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