Lecture Series Understanding Pakistan
Western perceptions of Pakistan tend to be uniformly negative – corrupt, disfunctional and dangerous are only a few adjectives that come to mind. For years, Pakistan has been perceived by many observers of global affairs as a stumbling block towards regional and global security and peace. With this dominant biased view, many dimensions of Pakistan’s developments have been overlooked. What actually constitutes Pakistan’s society and which powers define its politics?
These questions become especially significant as Pakistan prepares to elect a new government. What are the hopes and visions of the Pakistani electorate and how are these reflected in their political perceptions? What role do the media play in the dynamics of politics and the formation of public opinion? What is the economic potential of the country and how does it affect the prospects of the Pakistani youth? How does Pakistan deal with the increasing threats of climate change? And how does the country see its own position in South Asia and the world?
The lecture series «Understanding Pakistan» aims to shed light on selected issues in the Pakistani society and politics and thus to contribute to a more holistic picture of Pakistan. For this purpose, we invite renowned Pakistani experts to demystify the complexities of Pakistan and bring an understanding to this pivotal and important regional player.
Lectures
Monday, April 8th, 2013 (6.00 pm – 7.30 pm)
Pakistan Elections 2013: Problems and Prospects
Sarwar Bari (Pattan, Pakistan)
Tuesday, May 21st, 2013 (6.00 pm – 7.30 pm)
Media in the political process – a fourth power in the state?
Rehana Hakim (Newsline, Pakistan)
Monday, June 3rd 2013 (6.00 pm – 7.30 pm)
Educating the youth – financial burden or future potential?
Fareeha Zafar (Society for the Advancement of Education, Pakistan)
Monday, October 14th, 2013 (6.00 pm – 7.30 pm)
Pakistan’s New Political Economy: What Has Changed, and What Hasn’t?
Syed Akbar Zaidi (Columbia University, USA)
Monday, November 11th, 2013 (6.00 pm – 7.30 pm)
Pakistan’s Other Security Challenge: Climate Change
Adil Najam (Lahore University of Management Sciences, Pakistan)
Monday, December 2nd, 2013 (6.00 pm – 7.30 pm)
India and Pakistan – relations shaped between conflict and commerce
Maleeha Lodhi (former Ambassador, Pakistan)
Monday, January 13th, 2014 (6.00 pm – 7.30 pm)
Pakistan in the post-9/11 world: Troubled or Troubling?
Moeed Yusuf (Unites States Institute for Peace, USA)