Dear Colleagues, Scholarship is not only about producing research – it is about sustaining voices, building belonging, and challenging the structures that make too many invisible. This year has been an incredible year of transformation, and I have been determined to carry that vision forward through my writing, research, and community-centered work. I want to share some of the steps I’ve taken on that path. This August and September, I have the opportunity to share three original research papers at the American Political Science Association (APSA) conferences: – PolNet at Harvard/Northeastern in Cambridge, MA (August 2025) – APSA Annual Meeting & Teaching & Learning in Vancouver, Canada (September 2025) This…
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Conducting Qualitative Research in Pakistan: Lessons from the Field
Last month, I shared this article on Medium: Conducting Qualitative Research in Pakistan (as an American-Born Pakistani): 25 Lessons and Observations from the Field This is a piece I began writing in Islamabad, the first week of my second field assessment for my doctoral studies in Pakistan, (in October 2018.) I had been sitting with it for the past 3-4 years. I knew at that time that this would have been the kind of piece that I would have loved to read prior to my fieldwork, so I wrote it. I discuss various elements of the nuts and bolts of the Fieldwork and some key lessons and challenges that emerged…
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First Publication from PhD research explores challenges of ‘Localization,’ amid ‘Fragility’
{Featured photo: The National Monument in Islamabad, Pakistan, 12-25-2018} Welcome back to my page! I have an update to share here before the end of the year. My first article on my doctoral study was published with the Journal of Asian Public Policy earlier this month. It is entitled, “Localization in Fragile Spaces: A Comparative Networks Evaluation of Community-Based Programmes in Pakistan and Afghanistan.” The article is available online now and will be assigned in their upcoming Special Issue: “Poverty Alleviation in Asia: a Comparative Perspective,” when the full volume is ready. It can be found through this link here: https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/CSHEGHVJJZZEA5DGV6HP/full?target=10.1080/17516234.2020.1829355 This piece presents an overview of my dissertation research design and some initial…
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My 3MT (+2): Exploring Relational Dynamics of Aid Interventions in Pakistan and Afghanistan
Today, February 28th, 2020, George Mason University held their preliminary rounds for their annual Three-Minute Thesis Competition. I participated in this competition. You can learn more about the 3MT here: https://threeminutethesis.uq.edu.au/about . For a 3MT presentation, we are allowed one slide while we present our research within 3 minutes. I have provided that slide above. I truly enjoyed the experience, and highly recommend students to try this competition. It helps to not only refine your key insights, but also remind you of the big picture behind your research. Since I wrote out my presentation, I would like to share it here. I added the “+2” to the 3 minute presentation, as…
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Presenting on Social Network Analysis at SDPI in Islamabad, Pakistan
Last week I mentioned that I was asked by some members of SDPI to present a “brown bag” seminar on Social network analysis. Today, I cherished my first opportunity to share the methods to a renowned and prestigious institution in Pakistan. It took a lot of preparation, time and energy, but I felt I had done a nice service. Even if I was able to persuade just a few people about the value of these methods, and have the opportunity to share my ideas and research, it was no doubt a great experience. I have never done an academic presentation in Pakistan before, so this was the first time. I…
