• 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…

  • 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…

  • Fundamentals of the “Balti”: From Personal to Human Development in Pakistan

      Water is the driving force of all nature. -Leonardo da Vinci The water predicament may be a greater threat to Pakistan’s national and human security than terrorism, militancy or violent extremism, which tend to dominate the conversations in the region. Water is one of the most critical issues impacting rural and urban development in Pakistan and other developing countries alike. Rapid urbanization and population growth contribute to the urgency of this matter in Pakistan. Water sector improvement is a primary goal of the 2025 Vision for Pakistan in efforts toward meeting concrete targets for the Sustainable Development Goals, mandating climate change to be prioritized for Pakistan’s national security agenda. Denoted…