ABSTRACT
One of the salient contributions of sociology has been an exploration of the world of the unintended consequences of various social phenomena. Regardless of whether the post-Cold-War international order will stabilize after the contemporary troubles of wars, violence and destruction on a massive scale, it is worthwhile to explore the various consequences – both intended and unintended – that imperialism and global power play bring to the trajectories of specific societies. It is with this objective in mind that this chapter seeks to explore the ramifications of the US political, economic and military roles in South Asia on the geopolitics of, and conflicts within, the region. One of the most important geopolitical developments in South Asia in the last quarter of the twentieth century was the emergence of Bangladesh out of the ashes of the old Pakistan. This chapter explores the role, albeit unintended, of the USA as an imperial power in the trajectories of Bengali nationalism in the context of the Cold War. The implications of the Cold War are still unravelling in various parts of the world, to the extent that it may be premature to state categorically that the Cold War has come to an end.
