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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Dissertation Acknowledgements and Publication
Dear all, Previously I shared that I defended my PhD this Summer and graduated on August 21, 2021. A few months ago I received my digital diploma, shown in the featured photo. And I will be participating in the graduation ceremony this week! In October, my Dissertation, “The Network Architecture of Rural Development Interventions: Exploring the Relational Dynamics of Aid-impact in the Fragile and Conflict-Affected States of Pakistan and Afghanistan,” was published on ProQuest. You may find it on the ProQuest Database if you have access through your institution. An excerpt may be available via Google Scholar in a few months if not already. On this post, I would like to…
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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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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…
