Professor Sajjad Naseer is an eminent academic, who has taught and headed the Political Science Department of the Punjab University. He has also been associated with the Department of Social Sciences of the Lahore School of Economics. His academic and research career spans over four decades, in which he has participated in several national and international conferences. He has been vigorous and dynamic in articulating his views and commentaries in the Pakistani electronic media. In that sense, Naseer is a well-known educationist, who does not need any introduction.
Recently, Naseer has put together a book comprising of his published and unpublished writings titled: “Politics and Governance: Domestic and Foreign Overview”. The book contains perceptive and insightful essays, research and conference papers presented in different academic settings over the past two decades. Most of the book revolves around two enduring themes/issues in Pakistani context–politics and governance.
The book covers fourteen chapters and is neatly divided into two parts. The first part, which is longer, focuses on the domestic context. In this part, Naseer touches on almost all issues ranging from migration to urbanisation and disaster management to judicial crisis, and then tries to weave these issues in the context of governance under Pakistani federalism. Thus, he analyses this web of complexity and in the process, leaves the reader still hunkering for the possible solution to these developmental problems.
The second part is shorter but wider ranging, as it covers the contemporary sensitivities from US withdrawal from Afghanistan to issues of regional security, including war, peace and the decline of American hegemony in the world order.
On regional security, his discussion on Pakistan’s relations with India and Pakistan’s role in Afghanistan provides informative historical overview and insights. The overall conclusion Naseer draws is gloomy and prospects of peace, cooperation and development remain marginal. He cautions that peace will continue to be a delusion for India and Pakistan unless their respective leaders change their mind sets and make a conscious effort towards ‘trust building’ and rationalising defence expenditures.
On American global dominance, Naseer asserts that ‘nativist and protectionist interests’ are holding back its potential now. As long as America was able to curb these forces internally, its great power status was secure. He conjectures the end of American global dominance by 2030.
Overall essays and articles in the book are well-written, coherent, analytical and highly readable. The academic community, policy makers, journalists and students will definitely benefit by reading the book.
