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PR Online Course

NIAS Online Certificate Course, 2021-22

Contemporary Pakistan: Society, Politics & Economy


Course Supervisor
Prof D. Suba Chandran

Pakistan Reader
Conflict Resolution and Peace Research (CRPR) Programme
School of Conflict and Security Studies
National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS)
Indian Institute of Science Campus (IISc), Bangalore

NIAS Online Certificate Course, 2021-22

Contemporary Pakistan: Society, Politics & Economy

Name of School:
Conflict and Security Studies

Subject/ discipline:
Interdisciplinary

Course title:
Contemporary Pakistan: Society, Politics and Economy

Level of course:
Postgraduate, MPhil, PhD

Name of the instructor:
Prof D. Suba Chandran

Probable starting date and schedule/ timings
From Aug 2021, Fridays & Saturdays (1600-1730 hrs)

Program Description
Pakistan Reader (PR) is an academic initiative within the Conflict Resolution and Peace Research (CRPR) Programme at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) in Bangalore. PR aims to study contemporary Pakistan with a comprehensive and regular focus, build a team of young scholars within India, and create a network of global scholars across the world.

Course Structure for “Contemporary Pakistan: Society, Politics & Economy”
The course is centred around studying Pakistan, as it is, through comprehensive and inclusive coverage of social, economic, energy, ethnic and political spheres. The course will attempt to study Pakistan without ideological bias and political affiliation and attempt to follow its current trajectories.

The Course will cover the following:

Unit 01: Brief History
The idea of Pakistan
Pakistan through seven decades
Provincial Histories
Ethnic/ Tribal Histories
Religion and History

Unit 02: Domestic Politics
National Politics
Provincial Politics
Intra-Provincial Politics
Political Parties and Interest Groups
Civil- Military relations

Unit 03: Society- I
Social Stratification
Social Norms
Social Deviance
Social Change

Unit 04: Society-II
History of Social Movements
Tribal Movements
Agrarian Movements
Gender Movements
The Middle Class
Entertainment and Sports

Unit 05: Economy-I
History of Pakistan’s Economy: 1940s to 2020s
Issues in Economy
Key Sectors: Manufacturing, Agriculture and Services
Politics, Military and Economy

Unit 06: Economy-II
Foreign Economic Policies
Trade
Foreign Aid
Investment and Remittances

Unit 07: Pakistan in International Politics-I
Determinants and Actors of Foreign Policy
Actors and Institutions Foreign Policy making
Foreign Policy through the seven decades

Unit 08: Pakistan in International Politics-II
Relations with the US & China
Pakistan and the Middle East
Pakistan and its neighbourhood
Nuclear Policy

Course Structure & Duration:
This course will be taught mostly online over a duration of two semesters during 2021-22. Classes will be held online during Fridays and Saturdays. The Course will start in August 2021, and end in July 2022.

The Course will include the following:
Student Seminars, Assignments and Publications:
The students are expected to make presentations every Fridays (1600-1730 hrs). The objective of the above Student seminars is to improve the presentation and writing skills of the students. Also, the students will be assigned weekly assignments. The assignments are will be on current issues aimed at getting published in the Course portal – www.pakistanreader.org.

Students will have ample opportunities to publish regular focus notes for in PR Evening Briefs, PR Dispatches and PR Sunday Briefs. The final product of the assignments will be published as commentaries/briefs depending on the length.

Students are expected to prepare a lengthy report. The course will also offer an opportunity for the students to work on a lengthy report (8000-10000 words), under the supervision of a senior scholar. The report will be peer reviewed and published subsequently, once approved.

Regular and Guest Lectures:
Regular lectures will be conducted every Saturdays (1500-1700 hrs). Besides regular lectures covering the course focus, there will be distinguished guest lectures by senior scholars from within India, and outside.

Weeklong residential course:
Depending on the availability of funds, the course at the end will have a week-long residential workshop at NIAS. Senior analysts of Pakistan in India, retired diplomats/officials who have served in Pakistan will be invited to provide lectures during the workshop.

Two months internship:
The course will offer a two months internship to a select few at the end of the course.

Course Completion Requirements:
To qualify to receive the course completion certificate, the student must meet the following requirements during August 2021 – July 2022.

Presentations
Friday Presentations: Minimum 15 Publications Commentaries to be published: Minimum 15
Report to be published: Minimum 01
(Commentaries will be finalised, after an initial inhouse presentations as a part of the class activities. The draft commentaries will be discussed in a student seminar; revised and accepted commentaries will be published in the Pakistan Reader - www.pakistanreader.org).

Attendance
The course mandates a 75 per cent attendance for those wishing to receive the completion certificate to be issued at the end of the course.

NIAS Certificate
On completion of the course, the students will receive a course completion certificate by the Institute.

Learning Outcomes
As a part of the Course activities, the students will get the following:
Understanding of Pakistan: By the end of the course, students would be acquainted with a substantive and comprehensive understanding of contemporary issues in Pakistan. Students would also have developed a broadened and in-depth understanding of the challenges and opportunities Pakistan faces.
Interaction with leading scholars: The students will get exposed to the teaching by senior scholars with academic and diplomatic background from India and outside.
Become a part of Pakistan Network: The students will get opportunity to interact and also become a part of a network that the Institute is trying to create on Pakistan Reader (PR), NIAS
Presentation Skills: The students will improve their presentation skills.
Writing Skills: The students will get adequate training to write.
Publishing Opportunities: The students will also get opportunities to publish – short commentaries and Reports.

Eligibility
Candidates applying for the Course should either be an enrolled Post Graduate Student or have completed postgraduation in India. The course is opened to student/ scholars from any field.

How to apply?
Write to Prof D. Suba Chandran, Course Supervisor before 08 August 2021, with the following:
• Rationale/ Statement of Purpose
• Areas of Interest in Pakistan.
• Recommendation letter by the Head of the Department/Supervisor/Director.
Email your application and recommendation letters directly to pakistanreader@nias.res.in, with a cc to subachandran@nias.res.in.

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