From the Dean’s Desk

Dear Colleagues, Students and Friends, CONTENTS

The third issue of Guftugu is here. Slowly Events at MGSHSS this is becoming a tradition, as it enables us to share news regarding MGSHSS and to introduce the various accomplishments Centre Events by our faculty and students. Among our many achievements, we are most Interview with Author and Visiting proud of the four-week Advanced Summer Learning Initiative (ASLI) that Faculty – H.M. Naqvi The Newsletter is the we organised for students who needed official voice of the extra help outside of the classroom. In MGSHSS Faculty and Popular Media Office of the Dean, Fall 2018, MGSHSS also launched its Core in Mushtaq Ahmad Curriculum and after some mild hiccups Gurmani School of we were off to a great start. Further, our Humanities and Social advising unit now has an online advising Faculty News Sciences, LUMS. system which the three tiers of our advising system—staff, faculty, and peer Undergraduate Core Curriculum at advisors—use to more effectively provide We would like to thank academic advising to MGSHSS students. MGSHSS Anam Fatima Khan and In addition, throughout the semester our Ateeb Gul for their work Learning and Mentoring Center served The Study of Environment and on this issue and for students who needed assistance in Ecology at MGSHSS their contributions to it. English and Maths. We are also grateful to Along with these progresses, we have Nazish Riaz for helping been busy with hiring new faculty, Student Advising at MGSHSS out with the pictures. consolidating new programmatic Special mention must initiatives, organising innovative lectures Advanced Summer Learning be made of the - and seminars, and creating a vibrant Initiative (ASLI) based writer, journalist, cultural life on campus. All this and more and photographer is covered in the pages that follow. As Vaqar Ahmed and always, Guftugu represents the best of Student Contributions LUMS alumnus Sophiya what we offer as a School and highlights Tauseef, whose pictures the creativity, dedication to excellence, In Memoriam – Dr. Ahmad Bilal Awan have been used for and the vision of our faculty, students, the front and back and staff. covers, respectively. #MeToo at LUMS

The layout has been Our guftugu continues. designed by Muhammad Frankenstein’s Verbs Junaid. We also thank authors who not only provided us with write- ups but also pictures to go along with them.

1 Events at MGSHSS Workshop on Pakistan General Elections 2018 Dr. Yunas Samad

Speakers focused on different aspects of the elections, examining critical issues in a scholarly manner. Starting with an overview of the electoral process in Pakistan, Dr. Mohammad Waseem looked at the institutional arrangements that were used to achieve a desired result. By examining past precedents in the management of electoral results, it is possible to conclude that the recent polls were a process of selections and not elections. The Political Science stream at the Under this overview, other speakers Gurmani School organised a workshop explored more specific dimensions on the 2018 General Elections on of the hustings. Dr. Sameen Mohsin September 26, 2018. The lineup of a team examined the administration of of leading specialists with considerable the elections, concluding that in

expertise and insights on the elections comparison with previous hustings Samad Yunas Dr. drew an encouraging response from the procedures and processes were was paralysed leading to ineffective the student body of LUMS as well as better managed even though there governance during this period. from the faculty. The Faculty Lounge were some important caveats in the The rest of the speakers focused was packed with standing room only process, and whatever malpractice on questions of political and social during the proceedings. An intense that took place was at the pre-polling change and the election of a new display of interest and high level of stage. However, it was pointed out government that heralded these engagement by the audience lead that having a caretaker government claims. Dr. Hassan Javed picked up the the workshop to run over time. meant that the entire bureaucracy question of electables. When their role

2 in supporting nearly every political party and who are not promoters of Given the intense interest and robust and non-political government was Siraiki nationalism. The possibility of discussion that took place, the Political explored, it became clear that they provincial boundary reform remains Science stream will be holding a were the bastion of the status quo and slim because of the constitutional conference dedicated to this theme are an impediment to change. Only mathematics required to introduce next semester and will invite speakers with the emergence of policy-driven boundary change in the provincial and from the wider LUMS community and politics with cadre-based parties is real national assembly. Finally, Dr. Umair also from outside of the university. social and political change possible. Javed emphasised that a sociological This message was reinforced by Dr. change is taking place at the mezzo Asma Faiz who argued that the demand and micro levels and that this will Dr. Yunas Samad is Visiting for the province of South Punjab have an impact on the institutional Faculty at the MGSHSS. is being spearheaded by electables framework, which seems unchanging. who broke away from the ruling Goonj (Echo) — Suhaee Abro Younis Bin Azeem

On October 5, 2018, the Dean’s Office at received training from the acclaimed the Mushtaq Ahmed Gurmani School Sheema Kermani. She specialises in of Humanities and Social Sciences Bharatanatyam but also choreographs (MGHSS) organised the first ever solo and performs in other genres. She has dance performance titled “Goonj- also studied contemporary dance at the Echo by Suhaee Abro” at the Nuova Officina Della Danza in Torino, University of Management Sciences Italy, and has graced stages in Pakistan, (LUMS). The event, co-sponsored by , China, Nepal, Germany, and Italy. the Gurmani Centre for Languages and The event began with the Dean Literature (GCLL) and the Saida Waheed of MGSHSS, Dr. Kamran Asdar Ali, Gender Initiative (SWGI), was held in introducing Suhaee Abro and thanking B3, the largest auditorium in LUMS. her for appearing at LUMS. As he The artist of the night, Suhaee Abro, at left the stage, two projector screens just 25, has been performing for over 15 dropped on the stage and a man

Suhaee Abro years as a professional dancer and has wheeled out a suitcase. The screens

3 both displayed a video of dancers with epilepsy. The dance performance a variety of styles and also includes a in a forest with a similar suitcase which was just shy of an hour had certain amount of theatre influence, next to them. The audience gasped been entirely choreographed by Suhaee which to the best of her knowledge in disbelief as perfectly in sync with herself and the music, too, was for the is unique to herself. As for those who the video, Suhaee Abro, who had most part original scores by Sarah hoped to enter the field, she smiled contorted herself to fit in the suitcase, Sarhandi and Ahsan Bari. There was and answered that her only advice eloquently unzipped it from the inside even a track titled ‘Kerr,Kaun,Who’ by is practice; practice without any and came out to thundering applause. Suhaee herself which she sung live breaks extending over a lifetime. Suhaee then began her dance during one of the performances, and The event concluded with the performance which followed a format of which reflected her being trilingual Dean thanking Suhaee for her her narrating transformative incidents and how language impacts her performance, and how he hopes they in her life and how she had interpreted lifestyle. At the close of Suhaee’s last build on this event and have further them through dance. The audience act of the night, the entire audience dance performances at LUMS. was taken through Suhaee’s entire life rose to give her a standing ovation. journey and was left spellbound as Suhaee then took some questions she interpreted an array of incidents from the audience and satisfactorily Younis Bin Azeem is Research which ranged from her reactions to answered questions such as the Assistant at the Gurmani Centre for when her sister used to scare her in genre she identifies her act with and Languages and Literature, LUMS. childhood, to the loss of a loved one her advice to dancing hopefuls. She and to her dealing with life as a dancer answered that her genre cuts across

4 Alumni Return to School

On Friday, November 30, MGSHSS Center for Economic Research in mentioned by the panelists as being welcomed back four of its alumni for Pakistan), and Fatima Khan (Research crucial in providing them with the a panel event. This was the second Associate, Strategic Reforms Unit, skills that gave them an edge over event in a series (arranged by Dr. Chief Minister’s Office). The speakers others either in the job market or in Sameen Mohsin, graduate Assistant school. The Professor, speakers also HSS) in which noted that alumni from their career the MGSHSS paths were spoke to shaped by students about taking on their time at a variety LUMS, their of summer graduate internships education, during their and their time at careers thus far, LUMS and and how their encouraged humanities students to and social apply widely sciences major/ and frequently courses helped to internship them get to programmes. where they In tracing are today. their careers, The panelists were, from the right, reflected on their time at LUMS, each panelist commented that their Zainab Saeed (Head of Research and emphasising the importance of trying time at LUMS pursuing a humanities Development, Kashf Foundation), Farhan new courses and activities as a student. and social sciences degree opened Ul Haq (Assistant Vice President, Agri The HSS department’s courses up multiple career avenues for Capability, Al-Moiz and Thal Industries Qualitative Research Methods and them, including careers in the Ltd.), Alieha Shahid (Project Manager, Community Based Learning were corporate and financial world. LUMS Young Writers Workshop

The LUMS Young Writers Workshop is a one of a kind opportunity for young writers in Pakistan: an all-expenses paid residential creative writing workshop where selected participants have an opportunity to hone their craft of fiction writing. The workshop has hosted eight writers every year ever since its inception in 2012. This year, the number and quality of submissions superseded all previous years amounting to over 300. The

5 The workshop is planned around an workshop discussion on the fourth intensive reading and writing schedule. day and shared her experiences as The participants were sent books to a writer with the participants in an read a month before the workshop. This in-depth three-hour session. year’s selection included My Brilliant “This is the best learning experience Friend by Elena Ferrante, Aunt Julia and I’ve had,” said one of the participants, the Scriptwriter by Mario Vergas Llosa, Maham Jamal, “You can’t walk out of Ghachar Ghochar by Vivek Shanbhag, the room without being inspired.” and The Sensational Life and Death of Qandeel Baloch by Sanam Maher. The Another writer Noor Ur Rehman who mentor, Bilal Tanweer, guides students hails from FATA said, “LYWW gave across different narrative strategies and me the push that I’ve been seeking for a decade. Bilal Tanweer taught eight most outstanding short story different approaches to construction me that writing is a lifestyle that writers were invited to LUMS to hone of stories using the primary texts as requires complete immersion.” their craft under the mentorship of reference points. During the workshop, novelist and translator, Bilal Tanweer. each participant’s writing becomes The LUMS Young Writers Workshop This year’s batch of writers included the center focus of the class. Each & Short Story Contest has completed Noor Ur Rehman (GCU Lahore), Maheen student receives individual feedback seven years. The number of graduates Qadri (Karachi University), Maham on his or her writing, a defining from the workshops is over 50. It Jamal (Nixor College), Shahzeb Zaheer characteristic of this workshop. Along remains a unique platform in Pakistan, (IoBM, Karachi), Mahrukh Aamir with writing, another area of discussion helping young writers learn and (LUMS alum), Najwat Rehman (IBA, and emphasis is the politics of advance their craft of literary writing. representation and the power of stories Karachi), Mariam Bokhari (LUMS The workshop has been made possible in shaping our public and private alum), and Hussain Rizvi (BNU). The by a generous annual grant from consciousness and the role of a writer. participants represented a range of Ferozsons Laboratories Limited. academic disciplines and working The guest speaker for this year’s backgrounds—from architecture and workshop was the author and finance to publishing and accounting. journalist Sanam Maher. She led

6 Centre Events Gurmani Centre for Languages and Literature Aroosa Subhani

The Gurmani Centre for Languages about the various stages of Farida further plans on introducing weekly and Literature, in its efforts to Khanum’s singing career, but also photography workshops for students preserve and promote South Asian had the fortune of experiencing her who take an interest in the art. These literature and culture, has taken live performance. With two maestros workshops will be conducted by on the endeavor of bringing art to of raag on stage, the evening was Dr. Lukas Albert Werth, Associate LUMS. For this purpose, this semester certainly one that we will remember. Professor of Anthropology at LUMS. (Fall 2018) was packed with various The following week, on October 12, events, all of which celebrated and Javed and Babar Niazi were invited to explored a different form of art. perform at LUMS. With hits such as “Kheryan de nal” and “Lai beqadran nal yari,” this world-renowned duo paid tribute to their father and mentor, the icon .

Literary prose is another element of literature and culture which the Centre has been keen on discussing. Professor Bilal Tanweer, novelist and Co-Director of the Gurmani Centre, along with Professor H.M. Naqvi, author of Home Apart from music, particular focus Boy and winner of the inaugural DSC was devoted to the art of photography. Prize for South Asian literature, read Halqa-e-Danish, a series of weekly The various colors of Napier Street from their books. Bilal Tanweer read sessions/seminars conducted to were explored in an exhibition and from Love in Chakiwara and Other celebrate a particular theme in discussion conducted by Arif Mahmood, Misadventures—an classic from Pakistani culture, organised two who has been photographing Napier Muhammad Khalid Akhtar that he phenomenal events this term. Street in Karachi since 2006 and has translated into English. H.M. Naqvi Considering the theme in focus, over 27 publications to his credit. recited excerpts from his forthcoming ‘Maestros of Raag’, there was perhaps no These photographs show us what novel, The Selected Works of Abdullah one better suited than the sensational Napier Street is now—faded, gritty, the Cossack. Another such book- Madam and Ali Sethi, mundane—but at the same time reading took place as Mustansar two pioneering voices of two different they reflect what is not necessarily Hussain Tarar recited excerpts from generations, to come and speak about visible, what Napier Street was—a his new book, Lenin for Sale, translated music at LUMS. On October 4, the place of dreams. The Gurmani Centre into English by Durdana Soomro. audience not only learnt a great deal

7 For the series titled Ahmad Bilal Awan talk on the works of Mir and Ghalib. Recognised in category ‘Y’ by the Bazm-i Adab—designed as an academic Award-winning dramatist Dr. Asghar Higher Education Commission (HEC) and literary sitting with prominent Nadeem Syed was also invited to speak of Pakistan, this issue of the journal, scholars and re-named after the sad on similar themes. He discussed works comprised 399 pages and featured passing away of the Gurmani Centre such as ’s , Agha 18 articles by Muhammad Akram Assistant Professor Ahmad Bilal Awan— Nasir’s translation of Galileo, and a few Chughtai, Najeeba Arif, Sajid Siddique the Gurmani Centre invited several of his own works. Both sessions were Nizami, Rauf Paresh, Tariq Mehmood scholars who spoke on literary issues. followed by questions from inquisitive Hashmi, Zaheer Abbas, Asmat Durrami, Dr. Saadat Saeed, professor of Urdu students as well as professors. Khadim Hussain Rai, Muhammad language and literature at Government Arshad, Muhammad Salman Riaz, College University, Lahore, was invited Rafaqat Ali Shahid, Zahid Hussain, for a talk. A well-known poet, critic, Zaheer Hassan Wattoo, Saadat Saeed, researcher, and educationist, Dr. Saeed Muhammad Asif, and Muhammad spoke about elements of resistance Rasheed Ashraf. It was edited by evident in Urdu poetry, anchoring his Dr. Moeen Nizami with Zeeshan Danish as its Managing Editor.

Aroosa Subhani is Coordinator of the Gurmani Centre for Languages The semester also featured the and Literature, LUMS. publication of the latest issue of Bunyad (Volume 9, 2018), the flagship journal of Urdu studies published by the Gurmani Centre.

IN FOCUS Yūñ hī paihlū mēñ—

Farida Khanum and Ali Sethi Khadija Zaidi

“One of the qualities of great art,” a transformation this evening has for great art. Everyone either sat or began Professor Bilal Tanweer, co- been. On October 4, 2018, the largest stood, waiting anxiously for the stars Director of the Gurmani Center, “is that auditorium in LUMS was brimming of the evening, Madam Farida Khanum we go to it not just for information, with students, teachers, staff, and every and Ali Sethi—the former being the but to be transformed.” And what other individual that felt a yearning guest of honor and the latter the host. Bilal Tanweer’s address was followed by a screening of a black and white video of Khanum’s, a video taken from 1974, showcasing a TV program hosted by Zia Mohyeddin. He ushers in his guest, a young girl clad in a sari, with immaculate hair and makeup. She is timid and not too confident, and laughs at all of the host’s jokes. They have a conversation about the ghazal as an art form and how it has been depreciating

8 in quality, and this is followed by, of course, a performance by Khanum. She begins to sing in the video and her voice took the audience like a storm and the screens were lifted up. On stage, Farida Khanum, in a wheelchair and a flower in her hair, was brought to stage as the audience stood and applauded. She was brought by a few members of her family as well as her former student, Ali Sethi. Once on stage, she immediately took the mike and began talking about music and her passion and how music trends have changed. “Ab aisa mahaul hi nahi raha. Paihle hamen khushi hoti thi, log waqt nikal ke shauk se ghazal sunne atay the, hamen she‘r-o- On stage were also present Ustad by Sethi, leaving the audience sha‘iri ki qadr thi.” She explained how Habib ur Rehman Sahib on harmonium awestruck. The evening concluded she began with raag Darbari because along with Khan Sahib on tabla. Both with questions and comments by she already knew it, and that the sur of guests spoke about Faiz, and the ways members of the audience and a few ghazal were soft, that they were easy in which these ghazals have not only closing remarks by Bilal Tanweer. to remember by heart. Sethi added that moved many, but also at times provided much of his learning has been from The audience sang, swayed, a peak into history. The audience listened, and learnt. Khanum herself. “A listener said this had the honor of experiencing live to me once, that when Farida Ji sings, her famous hits, ‘Uzr ane men bhi, it’s about time and space, they become aur bulate bhi nahin, as well as the Khadija Zaidi is Research Assistant blurred, it’s the closest you come to a legendary Mahabbat karne wale. A few at the Gurmani Centre for spiritual experience,” says Sethi. Farida words of this song were also performed Languages and Literature. Ji was then asked to sing a few words.

9 IN FOCUS Art Exhibition— Napier Street by Arif Mahmood

Napier Street, and highlighted some of his photographic works over his 33-year career as an artist. At the exhibition, which attracted over 200 art enthusiasts, Mahmood presented a mesmerising journey into his archive, diverse in terms of geographies and communities. Pictures, chronologically displayed, starting from the 1980s, showed the evolution of the photographer’s craft. The presentation depicted Mahmood as a self-taught artist whose work has inspiration and stories behind it. The Vice Chancellor of LUMS, Dr. Speaking to the audience, he said, “It Arshad Ahmad and the Dean of is like a bridge to the past that keeps MGSHSS, Dr. Kamran Asdar Ali On September 17, 2018, the Gurmani me rational and charged to the concept congratulated the Gurmani Centre Centre for Languages and Literature of photography in an age where it on organising the art exhibition. initiated an exhibition of the work is not cost effective or feasible to Bilal Tanweer, Co-Director of the of renowned photographer, Arif editorially film it. Also, it is a pleasure Gurmani Centre, highlighted the Mahmood. At the launching ceremony, that has no substitute for me.” importance of arts to an institution Mahmood discussed his project, and also mentioned how it can help nurture the culture of a country. “LUMS has overlooked this aspect of art as a part of curriculum and even extra curriculum. It is important to bring arts to LUMS and to intensify cultural and artistic activities,” he said. Going through the aesthetic images, the audience appreciated each subsequent photograph and the depth of detail that each offered. The presentation was moderated by Ali Sultan, the curator of the exhibition and it ended with a question and answer session. The exhibition was on display on the first floor of LUMS’s Main Academic Block till December 2018.

10 Saida Waheed Gender InitiativeAimen Bucha

Since its inception, the Saida Waheed This was followed by another between Muslim Feminism and Gender Initiative has been hosting fascinating talk by Dr. Soufia Siddiqi Secular Feminism, unpacking how monthly seminars and inviting local on “The missing ‘bara-aadmi’: the surfacing of a vocal feminist scholars of gender studies to share contested assumptions of privilege position from within the ranks of the their working research or published in all boys’ higher secondary school.” Islamist movement has destabilised work with the LUMS community. In her talk she discussed her the boundaries between hardline This semester started off with Dr. research on masculinities and higher Islamists and secular feminists. She Shama Dossa’s talk on ”Arts-Informed secondary schooling in Pakistan, also highlighted how Aboulela’s work Cooperative Inquiry: Possibilities and and how boys’ performativity is has opened up the world of Muslims, Potential for Decolonising Methodology.” affected by institutional discipline and particularly Muslim women, that She explored the potential as well and societal expectations. for many western audiences has been as methodological and contextual Dr. Sadia Zulfiqar gave the third talk of closed, encrypted, or barely visible. challenges of combining and our fall seminar series on “Scherezade Aboulela’s female protagonists are experimenting with two methodologies, in the West: Representations of strong examples of ethical, independent cooperative inquiry and arts-informed Muslim Women in Leila Aboulela’s women who provide refreshing research through a decolonising Work”. She explored Leila Aboulela’s possibilities for Muslim women and feminist lens in the context of Pakistan. work and spoke on the tensions thus do not need saving by the West.

11 The SWGI also held a talk by Dr. Naila of Poverty: An assessment of the documents from the Women’s Action Sahar on “Feminist Exegesis and impact of BISP on women’s outcomes.” Forum archives, court judgments on Muslim Women’s Agency.” She discussed She shared her research findings relevant cases, as well as interviews the works of Fatima Mernissi, Amina on whether cash-transfer programs with activists, lawyers, and judges, Wadud, and Saba Mahmood who improved outcomes for women. A and analysis of newspapers and have stressed the importance of variety of socio-economic outcomes magazines. Ayesha Khan argued continuous interpretations of Qur’an ranging from labour market variables that the demand for a secular state and Hadith in order to maintain its to time-saving asset ownership, and resistance to Islamisation relevance to contemporary times and decision-making, and technology use should not be misunderstood as situations, and have questioned the as well as stance on domestic abuse Pakistani women sympathising secular left’s concepts of agency and were examined in her research. with a western agenda. Rather, their convictions of progressive vision as We ended our seminar series with a work is a crucial contribution to the the only politics of liberation when discussion with Ayesha Khan on her evolution of the Pakistani state. the language of Islam is coming to new book, The Women’s Movement apprehend the aspirations of so many in Pakistan: Activism, Islam and Muslim women around the world. Aimen Bucha is Program Manager of the Democracy. The book is a history of Saida Waheed Gender Initiative, LUMS. This was followed by a conversation the modern women’s movement in by Dr. Hadia Majid on “Climbing out Pakistan. The research is based on

12 Interview with Author and

Visiting Faculty — H.M. Naqvi Meher Hasan

How long have you been working on not been to before, from secret gardens to The Selected Works of Abdullah the this one dhaba towards Mochi Gate that Cossack? Where did it all start? serves exquisite lamb karahi. I travelled in It started one night, late night, in Karachi the neighborhood as well: Okara, Pakpattan, circa summer 2011 (and was more or Gujranwala. I believe it’s incumbent on a less completed in the winter of 2016). If I writer-in-residence to develop a sense of remember correctly, I was at a qawwali place. Of course, Karachi is my home. It’s at a flat by the sea and had to leave early animate, cosmopolitan, and there’s the sea. because I needed to write and write How has your experience immediately. The opening line came to in LUMS been like? me as soon as I sat down at home. It LUMS is an undoubtedly unique was the same with Home Boy. Of course, ecosystem, from the infrastructure and both projects had been marinating in my administrative systems to accomplished head for some time. This novel contends faculty and a diverse and a capable with matters of history and philosophy, student body. I solicited writing samples meaning and mortality, and varieties of for those interested in taking my class— affection. Ultimately, however, I like to advanced creative writing. As a result, think it’s a love story, one that features I had students who were familiar with a lumbering septuagenarian known as the mechanics of the writing. Over Abdullah the Cossack and is set against the course of the semester, the class the cityscape of my hometown, Karachi. produced several stellar short stories. H.M. Naqvi is an author Did you work on it during Is there anything peculiar about LUMS? Home Boy your time in LUMS? whose first novel, , The sprinklers turn on without warning was awarded the inaugural I actually worked diligently on the when you’re sitting on a bench, minding last round of edits ensconced in my your own business, like a sign from above. DSC Prize for South Asian spacious but Spartan office overlooking Literature and which has PDC. Consequently, LUMS figures Where do you find inspiration? featured on the syllabi of on the acknowledgements page. Inspiration visits occasionally, more than 20 universities How has your experience living in unexpectedly, whimsically. But since around the world. His second Lahore been like? How is it different writing is my bread and butter, I The Selected Works than Karachi? What do you prefer? don’t have the luxury to wait. I write novel, every day, save Sundays, come hell, of Abdullah the Cossack, is I visited Lahore as a child and was in and high water. I have a daily quota that I out of city during my collegiate years but forthcoming (2019). always meet and often exceed. Writing had never lived here before. It’s a pretty is like carpentry in this way. You have city and historically resonant. When I to keep hammering away at it. arrived, I took rickshaws to the old city on the weekends because the air was bracing What is some advice you can in January and I hadn’t been paid yet. The give an aspiring writer? city has changed dramatically since I knew Read, write, rinse, repeat. it but I managed to discover cantons I had

13 MGSHSS Faculty and Popular Media in Pakistan

In addition to scholarship and publishing on academic forums, faculty at MGSHSS also write for the popular media in Pakistan. They contribute their analyses on politics, economy, history, education, and on many other issues. Op-eds and features by the faculty have appeared in many prestigious dailies and weeklies in Pakistan, including Dawn, The News, The Nation, and The Friday Times. These MGSHSS faculty have, with varying frequency, contributed to Pakistan’s popular print media: Rasul Bakhsh Rais, Hassan Javid, Sameen Mohsin, Asma Faiz, Umair Javed, Kamran Asdar Ali, Nida Kirmani, Ali Usman Qasmi, and Aurangzeb Haneef from Humanities and Social Sciences; and Ayesha Ali, Faisal Bari, Hadia Majid, and M. Usman Khan from Economics. The fall of 2018 was marked by the consequences of the 2018 General Elections in Pakistan and faculty in the Politics program at LUMS made a substantial contribution to the debate through their features and op-eds in Pakistan’s leading English-language papers. Anam Fatima Khan sat down with three professors in the Politics program—Dr. Sameen Mohsin, Dr. Rasul Bakhsh Rais, and Dr. Umair Javed—and asked them about their decision to write for the popular media and why it matters.

are able to understand the public perception about a certain topic and respond to these notions in light of your own research. Therefore, I want to write something that is accessible for everyone and is immediately available to a much wider audience. Sometimes you get approached as well. For example, Dawn has reached out to me to write for them; however, that was something that came from someone who was following me on Twitter.

I think it’s very important to assert your expertise in public. As a female academic in Pakistan, if I don’t assert my expertise, nobody will know that I exist. That is not the case for men because of their access to networks Dr. Sameen Mohsin There was never an integrated thought exclusive to their gender. For women Assistant Professor, Humanities process behind my decision to write for it doesn’t work that way. It has taken and Social Sciences the popular media. I have always done it a long time for me to realise that I because I felt like there was something do this work and I have something in the press to which I had a response. valuable to contribute. It’s important “I think it’s very important Either I felt that whatever aspect I to put yourself out there in the public to assert your expertise in wanted to cover wasn’t being addressed discourse, which is dominated by men. public. As a female academic by the public discourse or that I had The reach of a newspaper article is some kind of expertise that could add far more than any thesis. The point in Pakistan, if I don’t assert my to the conversation. I feel that the urge of academic work, for me, is to not expertise, nobody will know that to intervene in the public discourse sit in any journal article but to affect I exist.” comes from social media, especially public knowledge and discourse. Twitter. Through these mediums you

14 As far as writing for a medium that Dr. Rasul Baksh Rais academics: those who are recluse and transcends the bound of the academy Professor, Humanities focus on their academic work. The and perhaps seeps into journalism, and Social Sciences books or journal articles they write the line between the two professions reach a very limited number of scholars is sometimes blurry. As an academic and students. I question that role of a they teach you to be neutral. However, “I believe that it is a moral teacher in post-colonial states. I believe with journalism it is easy to slip into and ethical obligation of that our work because of the language binaries. They’re not the same thing intellectuals that they take barrier and because of the nature of and they shouldn’t try and be the same the work itself is not accessible to the thing. Journalism has its own niche the controversies out of the general public. Therefore, we must be that academia shouldn’t encroach upon classroom and into the public intellectually active in shaping public and vice versa. They each have their sphere and bring back to the opinion. Since we have the training own domains. Due to an explosion of classroom what they learn in and the background, I believe that media outlets, there is a perception in the public sphere.” compared to a journalist or a columnist, Pakistan that expertise equates having an opinion. The boundaries between opinion, expertise, and facts are murky.

It is important for me to write these opinion pieces because unless you have a public profile, media organisations will not know how to contact you because of the male dominated media sphere that instinctively approaches male academics. However, at the same time a lot of women are not comfortable putting themselves out there. They are afraid of getting attention, which is fine, but also they have never been allowed the space to assert themselves publicly.

Sometimes you get requests depending on the dominant stories in a news cycle—for instance, an elections season. For me it is a struggle. It takes me a professors who have a formal training long time to write and it requires effort I have been writing for almost 36 and expertise in a subject can offer that I could have put into a journal years. My first column was an article more rigorous analyses to policymakers article. There are a lot of things to I wrote for a magazine in 1975 when I and ordinary readers. It is a kind say but there is a time and a place was a lecturer in Punjab University’s of activism. Activism is not simply for an op-ed. I was thinking about department of political science and the hitting the streets with placards and how I’m writing a journal article and name of the magazine was Talwar. Then demonstrating. Activism is that you once that is finished, I can condense I started writing for the English press express your voice on burning social, it into an op-ed. I find it hard to in early 1982 when I came back after my economic, and political issues. I believe switch between the two things. PhD and started writing for the Muslim and since then I have been writing that it is a moral and ethical obligation regularly. I contributed to the Muslim of intellectuals that they take the for almost five years and then for The controversies out of the classroom and News for around six. Then, occasionally into the public sphere and bring back I write for Dawn, The Daily Times, to the classroom what they learn in and The Express Tribune (the Tribune the public sphere. Additionally, media columns have also been translated appearance, not only in the newspaper to appear in the Urdu daily, Dunya). but also in the electronic media, is extremely important in order to be I think there are two kinds of

15 counted on the side of the forces of Dr. Umair Javed was offered a regular writing slot. equality, liberty, social justice, and Assistant Professor, Humanities I wanted to bring an element of rule of law. I believe that we have a and Social Sciences abstraction to the conversation very important role in society against surrounding politics at the time. We misrule, misgovernance, corruption, were fixated on personalities and there and injustices. Simply expressing “I wanted to bring an was not enough focus on how larger one’s own concerns and feelings in element of abstraction institutional factors contribute to what the classroom is not enough. We have we’re saying on a daily basis. At that to be there out in the media and in to the conversation time, most people who were writing addition to our traditional role of surrounding politics at were journalists and ex-bureaucrats. teaching, researching, and publishing, Later, when I went for my PhD, I we need to be in the public sphere. the time.” observed how people were putting out My interest in writing for newspapers Further, I believe that the idea of their research in more digestible forms. precedes my interest in the academia. objectivity, even in the academia, At that time there were two graduate After graduating from college, I was is a misnomer—what you have is a students who started a blog called studying Politics at SOAS where I perspective. It is quite possible to write Tanqeed. They wanted to bring in a started a blog which focused on objectively for professional articles more critical, rigorous analysis on the pseudo social scientific analysis of and journals; the bias and prejudice is things that were happening in Pakistan global events and politics. There was a something that should not interfere and that helped me shape my own small and fairly active community of with your writing. But then objectivity voice on various issues. The general people who were writing about South is rooted in some form of subjectivity. idea is that firstly, you can contribute Asian politics. The Sunday reached I agree with the critical theorists who towards the general English-language out to me and wanted to feature a say that construction or production discourse around certain themes and piece that I had written and that is of knowledge is motivated by political make it slightly more rigorous and how I got started. They were looking considerations. You cannot take politics grounded in theory. Secondly, there for younger voices. After finishing out of production of knowledge. You is a public function that such writing my graduate studies and returning are part of a much larger project. My serves. As an academic, I have become to Pakistan, I started contributing training in American universities slightly more aware of that public more regularly to newspapers like exposed me to various interests of function largely because I think that Pakistan Today where I wrote for a production of knowledge. Similarly, a lot of our conversations otherwise year before switching to The Friday for the newspapers, we write for an don’t seep out of the academy. As Times for about three months which opinion page where you are required stated before, my engagement with the presented me with the opportunity to have and present a point of view. public sphere precedes my transition write longer pieces. By then I caught into academia. What has changed the eye of someone at Dawn and I is that I am interested in talking about things that I am researching. There have been a couple of opinion pieces that I have written using my dissertation and fieldwork. It’s probably linked to the ease of doing it that people feel more inclined to share their research. It’s much more difficult to be insulated in academia now because of the Internet. In Pakistan there is a growing pool of academics who can speak on specific issues.

Anam Fatima Khan is Research Assistant at the MGSHSS Dean’s Office.

16 Faculty News

Ali Usman Qasmi (Associate Asma Faiz (Assistant Professor, another paper titled “Populism BISP on the socio-economic well- Professor, HSS) published “A HSS) was granted a one-month of the Right: The Rise of Imran being of women.” She presented Master Narrative for the History long summer fellowship by Khan in Pakistan” at The New a paper on the same at the of Pakistan: Tracing the origins of the Center for International Demagogues Conference held PCSW Policy Conference. At the an ideological agenda” in Modern Research, Sciences Po, Paris, at the Center for International same conference, she presented Asian Studies. He also spent his funded by Campus France and the Research (CERI), Sciences Po, another paper titled “The Role of summer researching at the Max French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Paris. Institutions in Securing Decent Planck Institute in Germany. She also participated in a seminar Work for Women.” She gave a talk on the 2018 elections in Pakistan on “Climbing Out of Poverty: An Amen Jaffer (Assistant at the Center for International Assessment of the Impact of BISP Professor, HSS) published “A Research, Sciences Po, Paris. on Women’s Outcomes in Punjab” Drama of Saintly Devotion: The title of her presentation was at the Saida Waheed Gender Performing Ecstasy and Status at “The PTI and 2018 Elections Initiative at LUMS. She presented the Shaam-e-Qalandar Festival in in Pakistan”. She presented another paper titled “Women’s Pakistan” in The Drama Review. He Labor Supply and the Link with also participated in the inaugural Growth: Examining the Last Three New Faculty Hires two-week summer workshop Decades” at the Lahore School of at MGSHSS titled “Summer Program in Social Economics. Science” organised by the School of Social Science at the Institute Dr. Matt Birkinshaw Hasan H. Karrar (Associate for Advanced Studies (IAS), New Post Doctoral Fellow at the Professor, HSS) published Jersey, USA. Gurmani Center of Languages “Between Border and Bazaar: and Literature Farhana Shahzad (Teaching Central Asia’s Informal Economy” Antonio Marasco (Associate Fellow, HSS) published Promotion in the Journal of Contemporary Professor, Economics) presented Dr. Kasim Tirmizey of Gender Stereotypes through Asia. He also published “The a paper at the Foreign Direct Post Doctoral Fellow at the the English Curriculum (Scholar’s Silk Road versus the Central Investment Conference, Istanbul Gurmani Center of Languages Press). Asian Bazaar – Two Thousand Technical University (Istanbul, TR), and Literature Years – or Twenty-Five Years titled “Foreign Direct Investment Gwendolyn S. Kirk (Assistant of Exchange and Mobility?” by Sector of Activity and Economic Dr. Layli Uddin Ahmed Professor, HSS) published in Transnational Trade, Trade Growth: Another Look at the Role Post Doctoral Fellow at the “Linguistic landscapes of cinema Routes, and Local Marketplaces Played by Technology.” He also Gurmani Center of Languages in Lahore: From Lakshmi Chowk to between the Caucasus and Central published a book chapter titled and Literature the Vogue Towers Super Cinema” Asia, edited by S. Fehlings and “FDI, Technology and Economic in Wide Screen. She presented H. Melkumyan (Anthropological Growth,” for the proceedings Dr. Syed Shimail Reza at the Madison South Asia Researches IV). He presented of the same conference. He Assistant Professor at HSS Conference, Madison, Wisconsin, on “The Infrastructure Bridge: also attended Antonio Marasco at the American Anthropological Methodological Devices and attended the Econometric Society Dr. Fatima Fayyaz Association Annual Meeting, San Conceptual Tools Across Urban Winter Meeting by Federico II Visiting Faculty at HSS Jose, California, and at the Aalami Rural Divides” at the Annual University in Naples, Italy. Urdu Conference, Karachi. Conference on South Asia, Dr. Moeed Yusuf Madison, Wisconsin. He was Anushay Malik (Assistant Visiting Faculty at HSS Hadia Majid (Assistant also invited for a lecture on “A Professor, HSS) published “Public Professor, Economics) was given Long View of the China-Pakistan Authority and Local Resistance: Dr. Noaman Ghazanfar Ali a research grant by the Punjab Economic Corridor: Fifty Years Abdur Rehman and the industrial Assistant Professor at HSS Commission on Status for of Connectivity across the workers of Lahore, 1969–1974” (will start in Fall 2019) Women (PCSW) for the project, Karakoram-Pamir,” at the Fletcher in Modern Asian Studies. “Transforming Women’s Lives: School of Law and Diplomacy, An evaluation of the impact of Tufts University.

17 Nadhra Shahbaz Khan (Associate Professor, HSS) published The Samadhi of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Lahore: Grants Awarded to MGSHSS Faculty

Donor: Shahid Hussain Foundation Amount: PKR 1 million Time period: 1 year Co-PI: Dr. Samia Waheed Altaf Project: “Understanding Pakistan’s Immunization Problem: A transactional Approach.”

Dr. Sameen Ali Mohsin (Assistant Professor, MGSHSS) and Dr. Samia Waheed Altaf (Affiliated Research Fellow, Dean’s Office, MGSHSS) aim to investigate both the supply and demand Khalid Mir (Associate Professor, sides of the immunization problem in the Punjab. They hope to Economics) published Ethics and understand not only the reasons for vaccine refusals in selected Economic Theory (Routledge). districts but to provide a fine-grained analysis of the planning and implementation, successes and failures of immunization policy. Maryam Wasif Khan (Assistant Professor, HSS) delivered a A Summation of Sikh Architectural lecture at the UT Austin South and Decorative Practices Asia Institute, “The Populism of (University of Bonn’s Studies Dr. Ayesha Ali (Assistant Professor, Economics) and Dr. Ihsan Ayyub Piety: Conversion, Agency, and in Asian Art and Culture). She Qazi (Associate Professor, Computer Science) have received a Exclusion in the Contemporary delivered The Annual Benjamin grant from Facebook for the project, “Understanding the Impact of Urdu Novel” in November 2018 Zuker Lecture on Mughal Art at Digital Literacy on Misinformation in Pakistan.” as part of their series, “Public/ the Victoria and Albert Museum, Popular/Pulp: Form and Genre in London, on “Ornate Interiors and The increasing availability of low-cost mobile phones and mobile South Asian Cultural Production.” Spectacular Exteriors: Internet access in emerging markets has led to widespread use She also spent her summer and Metaphors of Kingship”. of social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp, researching at the Max Planck making them an important source of news and place for social Institute in Germany. Nida Kirmani (Associate Professor, HSS) co-authored and political activity. This trend has brought many new users online including those with limited exposure to technology. Melinda Gurr (Assistant “Moving Beyond the Binary: Unfortunately, they are concurrently observing an increasing trend Professor, HSS) published “Taking Gender-based Activism in in the spread of misinformation on such platforms. The spread of Sides: Reflections on Activist Pakistan” in Feminist Dissent. misinformation may lead to polarisation, while also affecting the Research with Rural Brazilian She was a South Asian Studies beliefs and actions of users without a prior ideological leaning Youth” in Neos: A Publication Fellow at the Mario Einaudi of the Anthropology of Children Center for International Studies, such as undecided voters. As part of this work, they will conduct a survey to understand how factors such as digital literacy, and Youth Interest Group. Cornell University. She presented a paper titled “Is Having Fun a social media use, and social network characteristics affect the Muhammad Farid Feminist Act? Gender, Mobility spread of misinformation in emerging countries like Pakistan. To correlate user characteristics with the spread of misinformation, Ahmed (Assistant Professor, and Resistance in Lyari,” at the they will present users with news stories and ask them if Economics) published “What Sixth International Karachi they would believe it and share it. Finally, they will conduct a Proportion of Time is a Particular Conference. She also presented randomised control trial to study the impact of two interventions Market Inefficient? … A Method on “Negotiating Uncertainty: for countering misinformation: (1) general information provision for Analysing the Frequency State Informality and Everyday th through infographics or videos to make users more aware of the of Market Efficiency when Life in Lyari, Karachi,” at the 47 misinformation phenomenon; and (2) specific information about Equity Prices Follow Threshold Annual Conference on South Asia, users own past behavior related to misinformation. Autoregressions” in the Journal of University of Wisconsin-Madison. Time Series Econometrics. She also presented a paper titled “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun: Gender, Space and Mobility in

18 Lyari, Karachi,” at the European Relations Committee Seminar on “Great engines turn on small for International Peace” in The Conference on South Asian “Pakistan-U.S. Relations.” He was pivots: a productivity analysis Routledge History of World Studies, École des Hautes Études also awarded the LUMS Research of small-scale manufacturing Peace since 1750, edited by C.P. en Sciences Sociales. She was Award for Excellence in Research, in Punjab, Pakistan” in World Petersen, W.M. Knoblauch, and also invited to talk on the same at 2017–18. Scientific. M. Loadenthal (Routledge). He the South Asia Program Seminar visited the Future of Humanity Series, Cornell University. Saba Pirzadeh (Assistant Syed Zahid Ali (Professor, Institute at the University of Professor, HSS) published Economics) published “Price Oxford to collaborate on an Rashid Memon (Assistant “Pakistani popular music: A call puzzle in a small open New interdisciplinary research project Professor, Economics) was to reform in the public sphere” Keynesian model” in The Quarterly on the international governance invited to present at UNU in South Asian Popular Culture. Review of Economics and Finance. of Artificial Intelligence. He Wider’s conference on Think presented a paper on “The Development, Helsinki, Sadaf Ahmad (Associate Tania Saeed (Assistant Professor, Role of the United States in the Finland. He presented at the Professor, HSS) presented a paper HSS) published “Islamophobia Development of Pakistani Civil Economic Science Association’s titled “Pakistani Policewomen— in Higher Education: Muslim Aviation, 1947–57” at the Aviation North American Conference in Questioning the Role of Gender in Students and the “Duty of Care” Workshop of the Meiji Research Guatemala. He also participated Circumscribing Police Corruption in Dismantling Race” in Higher Institute for the History of Global in the Horizon 2020 Kickoff in Pakistan” at a Chr. Michelsen Education: Racism, Whiteness Arms Transfer, Tokyo. In addition meeting in Oslo. Institute workshop on Corruption and Decolonising the Academy, to presenting at the Annual and Community in South Asia in edited by J. Arday and H.S. Meeting of the Society for the Rasul Bakhsh Rais (Professor, Bergen, Norway. Mirza (Palgrave Macmillan). History of Technology, St Louis, HSS) presented a paper on She was selected to participate Missouri, he also presented a “Pakistan and the United States: Syed M. Hasan (Assistant in a two-week summer school paper titled “Natural Scientists as converging interests, irritants Professor, Economics) co- on ‘Religious Diversity and Political Experts: Atomic Scientists and the Afghan endgame” in authored “Waste Not, Want Not: the Secular University’ at the and Their Claims for Expertise on a conference organized by the A Case Study on Food Waste in Centre for Research in the Arts, International Relations, 1945– Islamabad Policy Research Restaurants of Lahore, Pakistan” Social Sciences and Humanities 1947” at the Annual Conference Institute on “Irritants in Pakistan- in the Journal of Food Products (CRASSH), University of of the European Society for the U.S. Relations: Way Forward.” Marketing; his co-authors were Cambridge. History of Science, London. He He also presented on “Pakistan- three LUMS students, Musa also presented on “The Battle to U.S. Relations under the Trump Aamir, Huzaifa Ahmad, and Qasim Waqar Zaidi (Assistant Define Pugwash 1957–1962” at Administration: Continuity and Javed, the founders of Rizq (www. Professor, HSS) published “Liberal Birkbeck College, London. Change” in a Senate Foreign sharerizq.com). He also published Internationalism and the Search

19 Undergraduate Core Curriculum at MGSHSS

The Mushtaq Ahmad Gurmani School global and local current issues. Communication (which is currently of Humanities and Social Sciences Based on the LUMS philosophy offered as a University Core). In the (MGSHSS) recently rolled out a new regarding undergraduate education, second year, the students will choose Core Curriculum for its undergraduate the School has created six thematic courses from Contemporary Debates, programme for the graduating clusters from which students will be STEM (if not taken in the first year), class of 2022 onwards. It will apply required to take at least one course Islamic Studies, and Pakistan Studies on the entering class of 2018. each over the duration of the degree. (again, already offered as University The Curriculum aims to ensure that Core). In the third year, the students The Core Curriculum will be completed will take options from Great Authors every student graduating from MGSHSS over the course of the Bachelor’s with a Bachelor’s degree possesses a and Academic Writing. The Core degree, with two or three courses Curriculum courses, along with the broad foundation of knowledge and required in the first year, one or two a diverse set of transferable skills. current group of University Core courses in the sophomore year, and courses, add up to 32 credit hours of The interdisciplinary nature of the two courses in the junior/senior years. Core will help ensure that students coursework. The students will still be emerge as reflective, empathetic, and In the first year, the students will able to pursue a minor in addition to historically-informed individuals, choose options from Social and their respective majors and there will with an understanding of both Behavioral Sciences, STEM, Arts be ample space to take free electives. and Humanities, and Writing and

20 The Study of Environment and Ecology at MGSHSS

As climate change and global warming affect our world and threaten the possibility of the very existence of many life forms in the short run and in the long run, academics around the world and in all major fields of study have made it a point to address the various aspects of environment and ecology, and not just from the point of view of reversing global warming; in fact, they have incorporated relevant discourses into their own areas of teaching and research in a multitude of fascinating ways. Development economists, social scientists, scholars of religion, literary and cultural critics—experts in various fields have developed courses to teach students about the history, the impact, and the future of environment. Entire monographs, collected chapters, and special journal issues have been devoted to it. We asked two faculty members from our own school to write something about the work that they do in this area. Saba Pirzadeh (Assistant Professor, HSS) and Sanval Nasim (Assistant Professor, Economics) write on their courses and their publications that deal with the study of environment and ecology.

end, I use a wide variety of literary caused by privileging of the human race Ecocritical Pedagogy and texts—picaresque novel, memoir, (‘anthropocentrism,’ ‘human racism’), Research poetry, children’s literature, postcolonial and advocates a reorientation towards novel, and dystopian fiction—along ethical biocentrism (Sessions). In doing with documentaries and critical theory so, the course debates the degree(s) to to introduce students to different which nature is ending and questions conceptions and treatments of the the role of human agency in mitigating natural world. Additionally, the course ecological crises. Overall, by initiating encourages students to explore how and immersing students within environmental literature complicates ecocriticism, I hope to inspire students our notions of human-ness, race, class, towards ecological thought and action gender, colonialism, nationalism, and outside the confines of the classroom. neoliberalism. In doing so, the class My teaching is also informed by my draws attention to the ways that research in the field of ecocriticism. nature in fact really exists and how In this regard, I have published nature is always culturally constructed three articles in peer-reviewed, (Gerrard). My 300-level course (End international journals. My first article, of Nature: Disaster and Geopolitics in “Children of Ravaged Worlds: Exploring Environmental Fiction) uses western Environmentalism in Paolo Bacigalupi’s Dr. Saba Pirzadeh and postcolonial fiction to explore the Ship Breaker and Cameron Stracher’s I teach introductory and advanced ways in which the violent exploitation The Water Wars,” was published in ISLE: level courses on ecocriticism which of the natural world generates every Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature “is the study of the relationship day and epochal crises. By focusing and Environment. This article analyses between literature and the physical on the visual, material, and allegorical how eco-dystopian Young Adult environment” (Glotfelty). My 200-level aspects of texts, the course generates literature depicts issues of natural course (Thinking like a Mountain: critical discussions on forms of eco- degradation, ecopolitics, racism, and Literature and the Environment) crises—including natural calamities, militarism to generate environmental introduces students to the major texts toxic bodies, climatic extremities, and consciousness and to highlight agency and concepts in ecocriticism. To this ravaged landscapes. The course also as necessary radical action during examines how environmental crises are

21 times of ecological crises. My second had already taught an advanced teacher, but a consequence of the fact article, “Persecution vs. Protection: course in environmental economics that I grew accustomed to the Field Examining the Pernicious Politics of the year before and we thought book after assisting my supervisor, Environmental Conservation in The that offering an introductory-level Professor Ariel Dinar, in teaching the Hungry Tide,” was published in South course would be an important step in same course in graduate school. Asian Review. This article argues that generating students’ interest in the Besides select chapters from the Ghosh’s novel offers a de-essentialised field and in creating an environmental textbook, we also cover readings representation of the Sundarban stream within the department. from The Economist, which often islands to emphasise a non-hierarchical The course allows students to carries brief expositions on salient conception of nature and that the novel explore the environment through environmental themes. Students critiques the neo-colonial premise of an economic lens, an opportunity to particularly enjoy “Decommissioning Western environmental protectionism apply the principles, concepts, and Dams,” a cogent case for removing to draw attention to issues of socio- methodologies that they pick up in dams to protect vulnerable species; environmental justice in the global their core courses to a wide range of “Taxes for a Greener Plant,” a note South. My third co-authored article, environmental problems. From the on how a tax on carbon can provide “Arthurian Eco-conquest in Geoffrey perspective of an economist, albeit governments an alternative source of of Monmouth, Wace, and Laȝamon,” one trained in the neoliberal school revenue while incentivising firms to was published in Parergon. This article of thought, the absence of markets for emit less; and “Never the Twain Shall tracks King Arthur’s use and conquest environmental goods and services— Meet,” an essay on how economists and of the land to ensure the expansion think clean air, forests, fisheries, environmentalists can never see eye to of the British empire. Additionally, and water resources—leads to their eye on issues common to both. To break the article argues that while Geoffrey overexploitation. The course enables the monotony of lectures, we turn to a and Wace depict the land as territory students to conceptualise hypothetical few documentaries in class, including to be conquered, Laȝamon instead markets for the environment and to Before the Flood—a grim reminder of represents the land as leode—a fusion recognise how price-based instruments the realities of climate change, narrated of people, territory, and nation— such as charges and tradable permits by a pensive Leonardo DiCaprio—and thereby highlighting how land can create such markets, leading the visually stunning Chasing Ice. transforms into a political ecosystem. to a more desirable provision of As the environmental economics environmental goods and services. courses start gaining traction, I hope Environmental Economics Most US and European economics to see some of the broader lessons get programs now regularly offer an translated into civic action on campus. introductory-level environmental It’s disappointing and embarrassing economics course, which has become to observe the lack of basic civic a popular elective for undergrads. responsibility among the LUMS Instructors also have the luxury community—consider for instance to choose from a number of well- the appearance of heaps of trash near structured textbooks to supplement the canteens and on the grounds their teaching. Professor Tom once the janitorial staff retires for Tietenberg’s Environmental and the evening. Discarding trash in bins, Natural Resource Economics, now recycling waste, printing less paper, and in its 11th edition, is the most widely conserving water are a few simple steps used textbook on the subject, and that we can collectively take to make the one that I read when I took our campus more sustainable and to Professor Tietenberg’s class my assume greater ownership of our space. sophomore year at Colby College. However, I teach from the equally excellent Environmental Economics: Dr. Sanval Nasim An Introduction by Martha Field and I first offered Introduction to Barry Field—this is by no means a Environmental Economics in Fall rebuff to Professor Tietenberg, who 2016. My colleague Dr. Saher Asad was an exceptional mentor and

22 Student Advising at MGSHSS Eilya Mohsin

With the increasing number of students of MGSHSS. The visit has allowed knows their commitment. We hope to admitted into MGSHSS, the school is the team to work towards the ideal increase active participation of students continuously working on improving its academic advising system that: through this because for effective academic advising system. Currently, • Challenges and supports students advising, students must learn to lead. we have a three-tier system that throughout their programme Even though technology is very includes Peer Advising Leaders (PALs), • Involve them in their academic important, a relevance of informed and Academic Advisors, and Faculty one-on-one intervention is key. We Advisors who track students, serve decisions and make them realise their own part and responsibility wish to have a network of support for as counsellors and motivators, and students to include all of this in order help students achieve their academic • Develop a social and academic to reduce frustration and disastrous goals. Each serve a unique purpose. transition plan for students academic pathways. Though we are PALs are our first layer of support. • Monitor and effectively initiate here to help navigate, a major cultural They are students who are mobilised early intervention when needed shift that we wish to achieve is to make during the orientation week to help students become proactive and involved The team is proactively evaluating ease transition of first-years. Each PAL in the development of their aims and risk variables (academic, financial, and has a group of first-years assigned to goals. Successful advising is not one- social) and working on initiatives for them for a whole year. The purpose of sided and students must learn to work student success. One of these initiatives our academic advisors is to monitor within the rules and policies devised is the Learning and Mentoring Centre and track student progress. Academic by both the school and the university. that serves to work on students’ advisors are academic staff that language, writing, and mathematical With this expansion in the vision and help students deal with all sorts of skills. Another one is formalising our the execution of student advising at academic issues from degree tracking scheduling and tracking through the LUMS come challenges as well. But to linking students to relevant existing Zambeel system at LUMS. challenges are there to be overcome. academic campus services. Here, This system will track meeting notes, At MGSHSS, we aim to manage and staff from both Economics and HSS grades, and degree requirements resolve problems and offer best departments work together with the more efficiently. It will also allow solutions for a smooth journey for Dean’s Office. Lastly, engagement with students to quickly schedule their our diverse student population. Faculty Advisors is really important for appointments; both mandatory and students. This is why we make these walk-ins. The idea is to reduce waiting meetings mandatory for students. time and make sure that each party Eilya Mohsin is Assistant Manager Faculty advisors help students identify in the MGSHSS Dean’s Office. educational goals in light of their individual intellectual passions. For effective advising, the Dean’s Office of MGSHSS has initiated training of Advisors in their areas of interest—from academic counselling to development of an online tracking system. Because of this initiative I got the opportunity to shadow the advising system of the University of Texas in October 2018. The purpose of the visit was to identify and analyse gaps within our academic advising system and achieve effective advising so it can serve as a powerful tool for the students

23 Advanced Summer Learning Initiative (ASLI)

For the first time at LUMS, MGSHSS the students did not have to worry organised a four-week summer training about the cost of food, lodging, or travel, programme for students who need or perceive of it as an extra burden for extra help with academic problems that their family. Furthermore, qualified cannot always be addressed in the class. faculty from Economics and the This initiative served as an off-shoot Humanities designed the programme of the Learning and Mentoring Centre. curriculum to cater to various It was conceptualised earlier this year academic needs of the students. The in order to bridge the structural gaps instructors were experts in their fields resulting from the diverse educational which was necessary to guarantee backgrounds of the student body. progress in a relatively short period. spaces. Moreover, the students found We called it the Advanced Summer For the duration of the programme, themselves in settings where they Learning Initiative (ASLI) and it students took classes (five hours a could connect with peers from different was designed as an intensive, day, four days a week) with highly socio-economic backgrounds and immersive workshop. qualified faculty and participated make new friends in order to ease in activities with peer mentors. their transition in to the LUMS life. Mentors were an integral part of The program ended with a farewell the programme as they focused on dinner followed by a screening of a immersing the students into a culture farewell video compiled by the students of speaking English, something many as a voluntary contribution to thank students were not initially comfortable the administration and instructors. with. Through activities like poetry recitation, collaborative games, and The structure of this programme movie screening, the programme allowed students to benefit from both tried to inculcate learning that would an active learning community in a complement the class room learning. class setting as well as individual In order to give them a holistic attention. We share the commitment experience, the school arranged an of our donors to ensure that students who have successfully overcome With the support and the ice cream social every Wednesday. disadvantage at home will not face encouragement of the Gurmani The idea was to encourage students to obstacles to learning at LUMS. Foundation, and with assistance connect with new peers, mentors, and from the Dean of Student Affairs, the administration and create a friendly With a successful pilot project, we Admissions Office, and the NOP Office, and cohesive learning community. intend to offer an expanded version a four-week Summer pilot-programme Additionally, weekly excursions to of this course each summer. trained up to fifty students from cultural sites including a football across the university (fully-funded) factory in Sialkot, Haran Minar, to aid them in developing their Nankana Sahib, and old Lahore were reading/comprehension, writing, and arranged every Friday. The students communication skills in English, along were presented with the prospect with a focus on mathematics and of examining these sites in their critical thinking. In order to create an historical and cultural context and ideal environment for learning, the interact with the different types of programme was fully funded so that communities associated with these

24 Student Contributions

Gracias, Graz! An Experience of a Lifetime Muhammed Saad Kamil

for a month in Europe and traveling around and having fun. It was the conversations, the cultural exchange, and acceptance of each other regardless what religion, ethnicity, or gender they were, that gave us a new view on life—a lesson in tolerance and endurance that in the end, as people of the world, we are all human beings and are equal. Academically we saw how a university could be accepting of and cooperative with its students even with a rigorous academic programme. Because in FHJ the well-being of the students came first for the administration and policies came second. Overall, we would like to thank LUMS for opening such an avenue for us and helping us learn new things and grow as people. We would also like to give a huge shout out to FHJ and all our friends who now If we were to put our experiences as in Graz, Austria. Now one might not live in different parts of the world. exchange students in a few adjectives, really know what Graz is other than it would be impossible to summarise the fact that it is 2 hours away by We will never forget this experience as them aptly. Rather it would be unjust bus from the Austrian capital Vienna a piece of our hearts and souls resides to do so because of the plethora of and is a small university city. Initially in Graz and will stay there forever. things we learnt, understood, and to us, it was more unappealing than overall experienced as not only that. Coming from LUMS, leaving all Muhammed Saad Kamil is a students, but human beings. our friends behind, was extremely junior at the MGSHSS. On the third day of the month of difficult and the first few days went February, I along with two of my friends by in cold weather and gloomy nights. Haleema Hasan and Ujala Anand landed However, it was only a matter of time and new friendships that made us realise that there was more to this programme than we had expected. The LUMS-FHJ (FH Joanneum, Austria) programme gave us opportunities that we had never thought we would get. From striking meaningful friendships with people from around the world to travelling all around Europe, it was truly a dream come true. Nevertheless, our exchange program was more meaningful than just living abroad

25 Debating at MGSHSS Marha Fatima

Tournament, gave a very fiery speech which was backed by facts and figures. The proposition’s last speaker Walid Iqbal, who was representing the PTI government, present his point of view calmly and thoughtfully. The last opposition speaker, seasoned journalist and analyst Ejaz Haider, used the element of humour to sway the

DRUMS organised its first Quarterly opposition, Aima Khosa, News Editor Debate of the year on October 3. at The Friday Times and Lecturer at audience while also building upon the The topic of the debate was: “This the Beaconhouse National University, previous arguments to prove his point. House Supports the Dam Fund.” made the opening statements and A packed auditorium demonstrated Maha Malik moderated the debate engaged the audience with her wit that the event was very well received. and did a great job in making sure and strong line of reasoning. People took a keen interest in the topic that the rules and regulations of Muhammad Ahmed Pansota, renowned and the number of hands up during the the debate were adhered to. lawyer and legal analyst, was the question and answer session certainly The first speaker from the proposition second speaker from the proposition. reflected that. Votes were collected from was Inshirah Tahir, a prominent He gave a rather sarcastic speech in the audience and after a very fierce member of the LUMS debating circle as favour of the current government. In battle the opposition was declared well as a two-time Octofinalist at the contrast, the second opposition speaker, the winner. The guests were provided United Asian Debates Tournament. She Taha Iqbal, a junior at LUMS who has with refreshments after the debate. instantly wowed the audience with her been a Quarterfinalist as well as an Marha Fatima is a first well-articulated arguments. From the Octofinalist at the United Asian Debates year at the MGSHSS.

26 In Memoriam— Dr. Ahmad Bilal Awan (1973—2018)

He was always a gentleman, a friend even if he What a wonderful colleague and friend he was! didn’t know you, generous with his time and I can’t recall that he ever greeted me without a person in a way few of us are. I keep thinking smile and a warm hug. I remember some of his I will see him striding in the halls, or holding discussions with me on poetry and his interest in his son’s hand and walking from the covered studying prosody. But what I remember most— parking to the office, and it seems almost cruel as I believe many of his colleagues and students that he is no longer with us. His kindness to do—is his smile, humility, and willingness to help students and colleagues will keep his memory anyone who needed him. He was indeed dearly alive. I hope and pray that he is at peace. loved by his students. Considering aspects of his - Dr. Maryam Wasif work, one can only think of Sa‘di’s nihad shakh-i pur miweh sar bar zamin. - Asif Iftikhar

Those of us who knew him—and those who knew a little of him—will know that he was one of the gentlest and kindest individuals you could hope to come across. When people talk of those who don’t have a nasty bone in their body, he was that person. He was a devoted father and husband. His students loved him because of his He was one of the greatest teachers I have ever dedication to his teaching and the amount of had. He had a contagious enthusiasm for Urdu time and effort he put into mentoring students. that made you want to attend every class. He I cannot remember a time when he didn’t have had the wisdom of a teacher and the humility of a smile on his face and a word of thanks for all a student. Words cannot express the amount of that he had. - Dr. Ali Khan love and respect he deserves. - Usman Ibrahim

27 #MeToo at LUMS On December 14, 2018, as part of the woman’s body experienced on a daily would never gain strength in Pakistan Alumni Homecoming Weekend, a panel basis in Pakistan. Bucha, an activist and unless collective class action was discussion was arranged at LUMS on taken. Nadeem, an English major “#MeToo & its Unfolding in Pakistan.” and ex-President of FemSoc, talked The discussion was moderated by about LUMS itself and the fashion in Dr. Maryam Wasif Khan (Assistant which young male students treated Professor, MGSHSS) and the panelists female friends and peers, prompting included Aimen Bucha (SWGI), Bucha to suggest that the very Mariam Nadeem (senior) and Shmyla idea of romantic love in Pakistan Khan (BA. LLB 2014). The panel is grounded in dominance and began with each panelist thinking subordination rather than equality. about the significance of the #MeToo The panel was attended by a number movement in Pakistan, each offering of students, staff members, as well as a different perspective. Khan, a the Vice-Chancellor, and concluded lawyer working at the Digital Rights with a series of compelling Foundation, for example, spoke questions by audience members. at length about the chasm between coordinator at the Saida Waheed Gender the law and the various violences a Initiative, argued that the movement Frankenstein’s Verbs

In 2018, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein From the cover of the first edition, turned 200. I remember that I read it I have no friend, Margaret: from Milton’s Paradise Lost when I was in school. What I struggled when I am glowing with Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay to remember was what it was about. the enthusiasm of success, To mould me man? Did I solicit thee Last year, on the bicentenary of the first From darkness to promote me? edition of the novel, I read it again. there will be none to Verbs, verbs, verbs … powerful, all of participate my joy; if I am We think of ‘Frankenstein’ as them. It helped that I was teaching a assailed by disappointment, being a noun even though it can also be used as a verb. class on academic writing and editing no one will endeavour to that same semester and we were Elizabeth Coody, Religious discussing the vices of adjectives and sustain me in dejection. I Studies, Morningside College the virtuosities of verbs. The hip-hop shall commit my thoughts artist Blackalicious used the phrase In the 1770s the Italian scientist Luigi “Verb vice” in his song “Alphabet to paper, it is true; but that Galvani conducted experiments that Aerobics.” No, not vice. Virtuosities. caused muscle convulsions in dead is a poor medium for the frogs through electrical charges. There are sentences in Frankenstein— communication of feeling ... Galvanist experiments became popular as there are in the best of world across Europe thanks to Giovanni literature—that would crumble without You may deem me romantic, Aldini, Galvani’s nephew and disciple … Galvanism directly influenced Mary the presence of a powerful verb. The my dear sister, but I bitterly Shelley’s fictional creation, and the verb verb that makes you feel the movement; feel the want of a friend. “galvanize”—to stimulate to action— the dance. Witness: a paragraph from soon passed into the English language. the beginning of Mary Shelley’s novel. Mary Shelley, Frankenstein. Maria Pilar Queralt, National Geographic

Ateeb Gul is Teaching Fellow and Senior Editor at the MGSHSS. 28 29 30 D.H.A., Lahore Cantt. 54792 Lahore, Pakistan Phone: +92 42 3560 8000 Fax: +92 42 3572 5048

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