Partition and the South Asian Diaspora

Conceived at the unique, intersecting moment of commemoration of 1947 Partition of British India, 1971 Bangladesh independence, and 1972 exodus from Uganda, this book focuses on the entangled memories of Partition and its associated events in the diaspora. The chapters in this book explore the cultural and social significance of diasporic memorialisation done in reference to Partition, as it overlaps with the commemoration of key historical moments of change for the South Asian diaspora.

Bringing together scholars based in Bangladesh, India, and the UK and working within memory studies, history, ethnomusicology, sound studies, literature, film studies, postcolonial studies and media and communication, this edited volume reflects the transnational and interdisciplinary nature of the study of Partition memory in the diaspora and the multiple ways diasporic Partition memory is inherited and creatively remembered. It examines how Partition memory is actively constructed and communicated in media and cultural forms and delves into the particularity and potential in diasporic remembering of Partition memory, the role of arts and culture in remembering contested pasts and shared cultural heritage, and the impact these commemorations have on diasporic identities in the present.

This book is essential reading for students, scholars, and researchers of South Asian diaspora studies, memory studies, postcolonial studies, and those interested in the intersections of history, culture, and identity in the diaspora.

The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of South Asian Diaspora.