Paths of Construction of Religious-National Identity in the Decolonisation Process of India and Pakistan in the Early Years of Partition 1947

Based on Social Identity Theory Under the Perspectives of Post-Colonialism and Orientalism

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-551-5_103How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Partition of India and Pakistan; separatist nationalism; Post-colonialism; Orientalism; social identity theory (SIT); decolonization

Abstract

The partition of British India under the lead of the empire in 1947 resulted in the creation of two distinct nation-states, India and Pakistan, fundamentally transforming the region’s religious and national identities. The 1950s witnessed conflicts such as civil wars, separatist movements, and the rise of nationalism, all intertwined with religious tensions and violence. These dynamics profoundly influenced the evolving identities and political landscapes of both nations. This essay investigates the construction of religious and national identities during the decolonization of India and Pakistan, with a particular focus on the year 1947 and its aftermath. Employing social identity theory, the analysis explores how colonial legacies shaped the evolving identities of these newly independent states. Furthermore, it critically examines the power hierarchies and governance structures in contemporary India and Pakistan, highlighting the roles of political entities such as the BJP and the Congress Party. This study aims to provide a nuanced understanding of how historical and political contexts continue to influence identity formation.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Yue Zeng
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/03/26
TI  - Paths of Construction of Religious-National Identity in the Decolonisation Process of India and Pakistan in the Early Years of Partition 1947
BT  - Proceeding of 2025 8th International Conference on Humanities Education and Social Sciences (ICHESS 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 960
EP  - 965
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-551-5_103
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-551-5_103
ID  - Zeng2026
ER  -