2026/03/31 by Muzamil Yaqoob, Aijaz Ashraf Wani · 2 voices
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Social Sciences · #Agriculture, Land Use, Rural Development #Land Rights and Reforms #South Asian Studies and Conflicts
paper · doi:10.1080/21622671.2026.2639398
openalex publication_date 2026/03/31 · openalex created_date 2026/04/01 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/15
Land has been integral to the formation of identity in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and has occupied a central position in the region’s political and historical trajectories. An analysis of land-centred politics reveals not merely its material significance, but its affective and symbolic impact within J&K. In our attempt to revisit the events and processes of land distribution, re-distribution and contestation, this paper argues that between the claims of national integrity, territorial identity and legitimacy, land-based claims have always remained a quiet catalyst in the region. Far from being a peripheral issue, such claims have persistently shaped political formations, mediated claims over legitimacy, and reconfigured the relationship between identity and authority.