The Indo-Pakistani Dispute over Jammu and Kashmir: A Frozen Conflict in South Asia

Armenuhi Brutyan

Master's thesis

Abstract:

The Kashmir dispute is one of the world's most dangerous conflicts between two possessors of nuclear weapons, India and Pakistan. Kashmir is a region with a majority Muslim population that has not been granted the right of self-determination to decide if they want to remain as part of India or join Pakistan. The conflict has lasted for almost seven decades and has no resolution until today. It is a subject of debate between scholars whether the Kashmir conflict can be considered a frozen conflict or not. Thus, the thesis aims to answer this question. Academics have not yet concluded the definition for the concept of frozen conflicts. Hence, the thesis will provide the framework for the concept in the theoretical part by providing two different definitions and criteria. It will lead to the analyzes, where the Kashmir conflict will be viewed through the prism of the frozen conflicts criteria and answer the question of whether it can be considered a frozen conflict or not.

Abstract:

The Kashmir dispute is one of the world's most dangerous conflicts between two possessors of nuclear weapons, India and Pakistan. Kashmir is a region with a majority Muslim population that has not been granted the right of self-determination to decide if they want to remain as part of India or join Pakistan. The conflict has lasted for almost seven decades and has no resolution until today. It is a subject of debate between scholars whether the Kashmir conflict can be considered a frozen conflict or not. Thus, the thesis aims to answer this question. Academics have not yet concluded the definition for the concept of frozen conflicts. Hence, the thesis will provide the framework for the concept in the theoretical part by providing two different definitions and criteria. It will lead to the analyzes, where the Kashmir conflict will be viewed through the prism of the frozen conflicts criteria and answer the question of whether it can be considered a frozen conflict or not.

Keywords

Frozen conflicts, The Kashmir conflict, Conflict resolution, Negotiations, International actors, Self-determination

Keywords

Frozen conflicts, Negotiations, International actors, Self-determination, Conflict resolution, The Kashmir conflict

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 14. 9. 2020

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 1. 6. 2021
• Supervisor: Jeremy Alan Garlick
• Reader: Pamir Halimzai

Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze

Master programme / field:
Mezinárodní ekonomické vztahy / International and Diplomatic Studies