Nearly seven decades after the Partition of the Indian subcontinent, Pakistan faces a daunting series of existential challenges ranging from ethnic strife to Islamism and terrorism, notes the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. But to what extent do the resilience of the Pakistani populace, the resolve of the judiciary, and hints of reform in the army portend a new and more stable chapter in the country’s history?
A new book by Christophe Jaffrelot, The Pakistan Paradox: Instability and Resilience, grapples with this question by reexamining the central tensions that have characterized Pakistan’s post-Independence society: linguistic and cultural diversity, the role of Islam, and the balance of power between civilian democracy and military rule. Jaffrelot will discuss his book, described by Stephen P. Cohen in India Today as “a superb guide to the cultural and social roots of the Pakistan movement as well as of contemporary Pakistan.” Hassan Abbas, author of The Taliban Revival, will serve as discussant, and Carnegie’s Milan Vaishnav will moderate.
October 8, 2015 Washington, DC
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM EST RSVP
Christophe Jaffrelot is a nonresident associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, senior research fellow at the Centre d’Etudes et de Recherches Internationales (CERI) at Sciences Po (Paris), and research director at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS). He is also Professor of Indian Politics and Sociology at the King’s India Institute (London), and a global scholar at Princeton University. Hassan Abbas is professor and chair of the Department of Regional and Analytical Studies at National Defense University’s College of International Security Affairs in Washington, DC. He is also a senior adviser at the Asia Society. Milan Vaishnav is an associate in the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he works on the political economy of India.
A Discussion with Pakistan’s Civil Society Leaders
Atlantic Council
October 26
Pakistan’s youth are more optimistic about their country’s potential, more socially and technologically connected, and more engaged in the democratic process than the generations preceding them. They have the opportunity to drive change in Pakistan and—in one way or another—will play a major role in the country’s political and economic future. The Emerging Leaders of Pakistan (ELP) fellowship seeks to empower the next generation of Pakistan’s leaders. The program identifies, cultivates, and supports young people in Pakistan who have the potential of becoming future leaders by providing opportunities to strengthen their engagement within civil society. The 2015 cohort of fellows represents Pakistan’s ethnic, religious, and geographic diversity. The fellows are tackling Pakistan’s most pressing challenges as social entrepreneurs, artists, educators, storytellers, minority rights activists, interfaith interlocutors, aspiring politicians, and tech innovators. Read bios for all fifteen fellows here.
We invite the Washington, DC community to meet Pakistan’s young changemakers, discuss their experiences, and exchange recommendations on the future of Pakistan, misperceptions between the United States and Pakistan, and other key issues affecting young people in the country. Learn more about the ELP Fellowship Program here and read all fellows’ bios here.
Empowering the Next Generation: A Talk with Pakistan’s Civil Society Leaders
October 26, 2015 – 4:00 pm
1030 15th Street, NW, 12th Floor (West Tower)
Washington, DC
