Johns Hopkins SAIS expert available to discuss politics and extremism in Pakistan

EXPERT ADVISORY
 
In recent weeks, Pakistan has seen state capitulation to radical protesters who held an entrance to Islamabad under siege, a renewed display of the army’s power, and further weakening of its civilian government.
 
“This political turbulence follows a repeating pattern over Pakistan’s seven decades of existence – a pattern of a dominant military and a state that has fostered intolerance – that, until recently, had seemed to be shifting to sustained respect for democratically elected governments and a commitment to counter extremism,” said Madiha Afzal, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Global Policy at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
 
Dr. Afzal said the political unrest is particularly relevant in light of a hardened U.S. policy on Pakistan, extremism that continues to thrive in the country – although terrorism has abated in recent years – and general elections to be held in the spring of 2018.
 
The scholar is available to discuss:

• What are the Trump administration’s policies toward Pakistan and South Asia? How effective will these be?
• What is Pakistan’s reaction to these evolving U.S. policies?
• What is the significance of Pakistan’s internal politics?
• What is the status of militant groups in Pakistan that have targeted Afghanistan and India?
• What are Pakistan’s efforts to counter terrorism and extremism?

 
Dr. Afzal is the author of the forthcoming book, “Pakistan Under Siege: Extremism, Society, and the State” (Brookings Institution Press, January 2, 2018), which uses survey data, in-depth interviews in Pakistani schools and universities, and historical narrative reporting and analysis to convey the full picture of Pakistan’s relationship with extremism.
 
She is a non-resident fellow at the Brookings Institution. Dr. Afzal is also a fellow at the Center for Economic Research in Pakistan (CERP) and the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS) in Pakistan. Before joining Johns Hopkins SAIS, she was an assistant professor at the University of Maryland.
 
Dr. Afzal has served as a consultant with the World Bank and the UK’s Department for International Development. She has written for Foreign Policy, Newsweek, Washington Post, Express Tribune, Dawn, The Friday Times, and journals Public Choice and Cairo Review. She also authored a special report on education and attitudes in Pakistan for the United States Institute of Peace.
 
Dr. Afzal was named to Lo Spazio della Politica’s list of Top 100 Global Thinkers of 2013. She holds a PhD in Economics from Yale University.
 
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About Johns Hopkins SAIS
A division of Johns Hopkins University, the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) is a global institution that offers students an international perspective on today's critical issues. For nearly 75 years, Johns Hopkins SAIS has produced great leaders, thinkers, and practitioners of international relations. Public leaders and private sector executives alike seek the counsel of the faculty, whose ideas and research inform and shape policy. Johns Hopkins SAIS offers a global perspective across three campus locations: Bologna, Italy; Nanjing, China; and Washington, D.C. The school’s interdisciplinary curriculum is strongly rooted in the study of international economics, international relations, and regional studies, preparing students to address multifaceted challenges in the world today.
 
For more information, visit sais-jhu.edu or @SAISHopkins
 
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