Browsing by Author "Mohd Sharif and Rajeev Kumar Singh"

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    Contemporary politics in Ladakh: contestations and identity construction
    (2025) Mohd Sharif and Rajeev Kumar Singh
    ABSTRACT Ladakh, with a population of around 3 lakhs, is known for its significant socio-religious diversity, with nearly equal proportions of Buddhists and Muslims. In Ladakh, the primary determinants of identity, namely, region, language, and tribality, are overtly divided along religious lines despite their overlap. This paper reviews the politics of identity and outcomes in Ladakh from the late first half of the twentieth century to the second decade of the twenty-first century to understand how external forces and internal shifting ties and needs within and between Buddhists and Muslims have shaped Ladakhi identity. Furthermore, the article analyses the evolution of Ladakhi identity throughout history, its current state, and its potential future trajectory, particularly in light of the socio-political changes that have occurred in the region since 2019. I conducted this analysis using interviews as a research method, seeking to address gaps in existing literature specific to this period in the region. This paper is part of my doctoral research, in which I analysed and demonstrated the ongoing evolution and transformation of factors that influence collective Ladakhi identity. The interviews were conducted with 20 community activists in 2023, taking into account the religious, cultural, and spatial plurality of the region.