Conclusion: Afterword-A Clarion Call

In the shadows of the Himalayas stands the forgotten struggle of Jammu and Kashmir. Although the region is one of the most contested in the world, the vast majority of commentators in the West routinely omit a careful analysis while those in Kashmir face immense pressures on their freedom to write on the issue. In presenting some closing arguments to this vital collection of scholarly input on the topic of social and political life in Jammu and Kashmir, I outline some distinct sociological concerns. I also take this opportunity to issue a clarion call to activists, scholars, and thinkers to place the needs of Kashmir foremost, even if its neighbors remain somewhat limited in their perspectives, whether this is by design or an accident of history.