Research Article

Between Center and Periphery: The Relative Deprivation Experience of the Baloch in Pakistan

Volume: 41 Number: 3 September 7, 2026
TR EN

Between Center and Periphery: The Relative Deprivation Experience of the Baloch in Pakistan

Abstract

This study examines the historical and contemporary roots of the Baloch conflict in Pakistan within the theoretical framework of Ted Robert Gurr’s Relative Deprivation (RD) theory. It argues that the persistent political, economic, and cultural marginalization experienced by the Baloch population has, over time, generated a collective sense of deprivation that fuels cycles of violence and radicalization. The study demonstrates that the Baloch issue extends beyond a mere security problem and instead represents a multidimensional outcome of unmet political, social, and identity-based demands. Utilizing a qualitative research method, this study emphasizes that the policies implemented by the central government have reinforced the sense of relative deprivation, thereby perpetuating the dynamics of the conflict.

Keywords

References

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  3. Ahmed, M., & Khan, G. (2020) The history of Baloch and Balochistan: a Critical Appraisal. South Asian Studies, 32(1).
  4. Akhtar, M. et. al. (2021) Water resources of Balochistan, Pakistan—A Review. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 14(4), 289.
  5. Andley, P. (2011) Balochistan A Backgrounder. https://balochilinguist.wordpress.com/2011/10/05/balochistan-a-backgrounder/ (Accessed: 02.09.2025).
  6. Aytekin, C. E., & Okur, M. A. (2023) Eleştirel barış çalışmaları ve uluslararası barış mimarisi: uluslararası barışın tarihsel bir analizi. Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey Üniversitesi Sosyal ve Ekonomik Araştırmalar Dergisi, 25(44), 309-329.
  7. Baloch, S. B. (2025) Ignorance of the Baloch and Insurgency in Balochistan. International Journal of Social Sciences Bulletin, 3(8).
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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Regional Studies

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

September 7, 2026

Submission Date

October 3, 2025

Acceptance Date

July 10, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 41 Number: 3

APA
Kocatepe, D. (2026). Between Center and Periphery: The Relative Deprivation Experience of the Baloch in Pakistan. İzmir İktisat Dergisi, 41(3), 559-575. https://doi.org/10.24988/ije.1796766
AMA
1.Kocatepe D. Between Center and Periphery: The Relative Deprivation Experience of the Baloch in Pakistan. İzmir İktisat Dergisi. 2026;41(3):559-575. doi:10.24988/ije.1796766
Chicago
Kocatepe, Damla. 2026. “Between Center and Periphery: The Relative Deprivation Experience of the Baloch in Pakistan”. İzmir İktisat Dergisi 41 (3): 559-75. https://doi.org/10.24988/ije.1796766.
EndNote
Kocatepe D (September 1, 2026) Between Center and Periphery: The Relative Deprivation Experience of the Baloch in Pakistan. İzmir İktisat Dergisi 41 3 559–575.
IEEE
[1]D. Kocatepe, “Between Center and Periphery: The Relative Deprivation Experience of the Baloch in Pakistan”, İzmir İktisat Dergisi, vol. 41, no. 3, pp. 559–575, Sept. 2026, doi: 10.24988/ije.1796766.
ISNAD
Kocatepe, Damla. “Between Center and Periphery: The Relative Deprivation Experience of the Baloch in Pakistan”. İzmir İktisat Dergisi 41/3 (September 1, 2026): 559-575. https://doi.org/10.24988/ije.1796766.
JAMA
1.Kocatepe D. Between Center and Periphery: The Relative Deprivation Experience of the Baloch in Pakistan. İzmir İktisat Dergisi. 2026;41:559–575.
MLA
Kocatepe, Damla. “Between Center and Periphery: The Relative Deprivation Experience of the Baloch in Pakistan”. İzmir İktisat Dergisi, vol. 41, no. 3, Sept. 2026, pp. 559-75, doi:10.24988/ije.1796766.
Vancouver
1.Damla Kocatepe. Between Center and Periphery: The Relative Deprivation Experience of the Baloch in Pakistan. İzmir İktisat Dergisi. 2026 Sep. 1;41(3):559-75. doi:10.24988/ije.1796766
İzmir Journal of Economics
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