On March 25-26, I had the opportunity to present my paper, “The Bridging Link Fallacy: Weak Ties, Structural Holes, and the Fragility of Networked Governance After USAID,” at the inaugural Social Capital 2026 Conference. Originally planned as an in-person global gathering with social capital enthusiasts in Dubai, the conference transitioned fully online due to the escalating situation in the Gulf and the war in Iran. In many ways, this shift reflected the very dynamics we study: fragility, disruption, and the resilience and adaptive capacity of networks. There was something especially meaningful about continuing these conversations across borders at a moment when the world is experiencing heightened uncertainty, disconnection, and strain…
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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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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…
