Shifting Identities in Conflict Situations

• In Event: The Causes and Consequences of Conflict

Abstract

Shifting Identities in Conflict Situations: A Narrative Analysis of the Women’s Accounts in the Borderlands of Pakistan

The ethnic, cultural, and national are identity constructions that are contextually and historically specific, thus considered natural. However, these natural identities are attacked during conflict and change. This paper assesses how conflict affects women’s identities in the newly merged districts in the borderlands of Pakistan and how they respond to these attacks. This study uses research methods of focus group discussions and in-depth individual interviews to collect data from the women of seven tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-bordered with Afghanistan. The paper analyses the narratives of ‘tribal’ women exclusively because their voice is seldom represented in the literature on the relationship between conflict, gender, and political identities, especially in the context of Pakistan. The conflict in the tribal districts has affected women in several ways, among which is the women’s perceptions of their political and cultural identity as proud ‘tribal’ women. The association of the ex-FATA with militancy and terrorism has severe implications for tribal women as to how to think about themselves and their cultural and political identities in the aftermath of conflict. The deep attacks on their cultural and political identities in connection with militancy and terrorism have forced them to alter their primary identity as ‘tribal’ women, which is a medal of honor for them. Because the woman's identity from ex-FATA remained contested during the conflict, they supported the merger of former agencies with the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to have a new political identity.

Author

• Abida Bano, Department of Political Science