Evolving Identities: Childhood and Education in the Kashmir Valley

This book analyses the internalization of conflict in the minds of children living and growing up in the Kashmir valley, and its effect on their identity formation and Schooling. It integrates the socio-cultural, socio-political, geo-political, and psycho-social contexts to understand the unfolding of childhood amidst conflicts. This volume highlights the socio-cultural context, amidst which children live in Kashmir, which influences the way they look at, interpret, and give meaning to their everyday environment—be it rural, urban, peaceful, violent, or within or away from family. This forms a significant part of how children’s lives are negotiated in Kashmir. It deliberates upon the interplay between conflict, education, and identity during the childhood years, especially since the traditional education systems tend to neglect the experiences of children amidst conflict. It also explores how children imitate, observe, and reflect on the conflicts in their surroundings. The book will interest scholars and researchers from the departments of education, sociology, social work, political science, peace and conflict studies, and South Asian studies.