Scholz, Fred (trans. Hugh van Skyhawk). Nomadism and colonialism: A hundred years of Baluchistan, 1872-1972.

Document Type

Article

Department

Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations, London; Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Abstract

Fred Scholz's study ofnomadismin the Pakistani province of Baluchistan, originally published in German in 1973, is a work of rigorous scholarship. It offers a contribution both to theoretical debate and regional studies. Compared to North West Frontier Province and Punjab, this area has received little attention front social scientists or governments, and anthropologists who have conducted fieldwork in Baluchistan may be counted on one hand. The British colonial government considered Baluchistan a buffer-province against hostileneighbours, Pakistani governments have made greater efforts to bolster Baluchistan's infrastructure (notably transportation networks), but have been largelyunsuccessfullin achievingeven distributionof investment or development. Consequently, Baluchistan has less than other provinces in the way ofinfrastructuraldevelopment or economic opportunities.

Scholz's basic thesis is straightforward. Changes in patterns of spatial utilization of the tribes of Baluchistan, he argues, must he seen as a consequence of changes in tribal structure. He relies on archival data covering roughly two centuries.

Comments

This work was published before the author joined Aga Khan University.

Publication (Name of Journal)

Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute

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