ABSTRACT
In the simplest definitional frame, South Asia can be represented and understood as a geographic subregion within Asia. It is also possible, however, to conceptualize the region by understanding commonalities and divergences that relate to historical development, especially with reference to the formation of its major nation states—India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka— processes that were closely linked to British imperialism, nationalist struggles, and subsequent modes of post-colonial governance. As a consequence, while these nations, and their sub-national regions, have underlying similarities, they also reflect an often bewildering diversity in the composition and character of politics and social, cultural, and economic differentiation. This differentiation is especially evident in various socio-economic structures and social identities such as class, caste, region, gender, religion, and ethno-nationalism.
