Book Review: The Struggle for Hegemony in Pakistan: Fear, Desire and Revolutionary Horizons

 

Aasim Sajjad Akhtar says that a grounded theory of politics is much needed for the formerly colonized South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa (p. 3). He states that this book brings attention to the challenge of 'forging an alternative hegemonic conception in the historically imperialized zones of the world- system' (p. 5). The author stresses that one cannot understand the global crises without centering attention on non-western, postcolonial regions, particularly Asia and Africa. A large majority of the world population lives in postcolonial countries. There are massive youth bulges in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. And the worst affects of global warming/climate change are to be experienced in East and South Asia (p.7).

In chapter one the author discusses the elite, the new colonialism, Land as an asset, Gwadar, Bahria Town Karachi, DHA Lahore, Thar in Sind, Gilgit-Baltistan and The City on the Ravi River. Aasim says 'the atomized middle-class subject is always on a knife-edge, veering between an insatiable desire for upward mobility and frustration generated by remaining on the outside of the proverbial looking glass. It is on this boundary that potentially transformative political forms can be generated' (p. 52).

Chapter two the author discusses neoliberalism. He says that neoliberal globalization has nevertheless, coincided with a greater share of wealth and income of global output accruing to the non-western world than ever before' (p. 81). In this chapter the author further discuses the planet of slums, neoliberal hegemony and the gendered middle-class subject.

Chapter three is on the digital lifeworld. The author is of the view that 'the field of politics is becoming increasingly complex, the digital space sometimes obscuring and even challenging established networks of political patronage (p. 101).Aasim believes that the there are 'limitations of Aurat Azadi March organizers who still rely, with notable exceptions, on digital publics largely peopled by middle-class political subjects' (p. 119).

The fourth chapter is titled 'The classless subject'. In this chapter the author writes that 'theorizing emancipatory politics in non-western postcolonial countries must correspond to grounded material realities' (p. 125). Aaasim states that 'the actual form and content of an alternative hegemonic conception that incorporates religious subjectivities can only be established in and through struggle, but it is first and foremost necessary to acknowledge this imperative' (p. 148). 

The purpose of this book is to point out main 'structuring factors that are shaping political subjectivity, and which must be accounted for in any political theory that envisions a future humanity in concert with nature' (p. 150).