Conflict in Yemen: Implications for Iran-Saudi Arabia Relations
In contemporary times, when the world is shifting from unipolarity to multipolarity, regional powers seek to gain influence over each other. Yemen's Houthi group is an ally of Iran. Saudi Arabia is involved in countering this alliance by trying to restrain Iran's growing regional outreach. Thus, Saudi involvement aims to maintain its clout and suppress the Iranian role. The conflict in Yemen escalates in an ethnosectarian garb. However, Iran and Saudi Arabia’s concern in the Yemen conflict is based on geopolitical and governmental factors. This competition between the two Middle Eastern protagonists to exercise exclusive control in the region contains serious implications for security and stability.
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Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Sectarian, Ethnic, Conflict
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(1) Muhammad Tehsin
Assistant Professor, Department of Defense and Strategic Studies, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Politics of Identity and Redrawing the State Boundaries in India: An Historical Perspective
This article will examine the idea of new states/provinces in India. How India created 16 new states on ethno-lingual, and other lines and accommodate the ethnic groups. The case study of India is focussing on the different factors; including constitutional setup and role of different political parties of India in making of the new state. The following three basic questions investigate the paper’s perspective. First; what has been the basis of demands for the creation of new states in India? Second; what are the main hurdles in the reorganization of state and what urged the redemarcation of states in India? Third; what has been the stance of political Parties about the creation of new states in Indian state?
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Re-demarcation, Subnationalism, Re-organization, Indian constitution, Ethnic, Identity Politics group, Indian states.
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(1) Muhammad Shoaib Malik
Assistant Professor,Department of Pakistan Studies, NationalUniversity of Modern Languages Islamabad, Pakistan.
(2) Azhar Mahmood Abbasi
Lecturer, Department of Pakistan Studies,National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad, Pakistan.
(3) Saima Gul
Lecturer, Department of International Relations, University of Peshawar, KP, Pakistan
Geographic, Ethnic and Linguistic Composition of Afghanistan: Methodological rich points of Language Policy and Planning
This paper evaluates the Language Policy and Planning's (LPP) Methodological Rich Points (MRP) in the geographic, ethnic and linguistic composition of Afghanistan. The theoretical construct is taken from the work of Nancy H. Hornberger on MRP in LPP. The paper explores a range of primary and secondary sources, and finds that the presence of inequality, marginalization and oppression in intra-ethnic and intralanguage group relations, sharing of resources and power account for neglect of the MRP in Afghan LPP. The geographic details in conjunction with explanation of historical process of migrations and conquests explains that most of the minority language speakers are concentrated in the difficult to reach areas of Afghanistan for their safety. Further, the limiting factors of Afghan geography explains the preservation of minority languages from the effects of majority languages. The study concludes with the proposal that it would be helpful to avoid the pitfalls of the current LPP in future by giving due attention to MRP.
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Afghanistan, Methodological Rich Points, Language Policy and Planning, Afghan Ethnic Composition, Afghan Linguistic Composition, Afghan Geography, LPP
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(1) Ayaz Ahmad
Lecturer, Department of English, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, KP, Pakistan.
(2) Sana Hussan
MPhil Scholar, Department of English, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, KP, Pakistan.
(3) Safiullah
Research Assistant, Humanity Research Council, Islamabad, Pakistan.
01 Pages : 1-17
http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2016(I-II).01 10.31703/gssr.2016(I-II).01 Published : Dec 2016Pakistan Internal Security Dilemma: Strategic Dimension
The paper reflects on Pakistan's complex security situation and the causes of current challenges that Pakistan is facing due to vacillating foreign policies. It also reviews the role of factors that contributed towards the instability of the country. After Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Pakistan involved in a proxy war and trained Mujahideen to liberate Afghanistan. In 1980's sectarianism floored the state, and since it has rooted in Pakistani society. The country brokered several Post-Soviet peace agreements between different militaristic groups in Afghanistan but in vain. Finally, it recognized Taliban for the cause of peace (though temporary) on its Western border. After 9/11 the country had to reluctantly take a "U" turn on its Afghan policy under immense US pressure. This swing of policy opened a Pandora-box for the country i.e. terrorism, Jihadist, ethnicity, sectarianism, economic and political instability in Pakistan. In this state of affairs corruption, deteriorating law and order situation, political instability and economic fragility, variables of internal security, act as key factors in a peaceful solution of conflicts.
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Terrorism, Jihadists, Sectarianism, Ethnicity, Militancy, Political Parties, Militant Wings, Economic Instability, Taliban, Dictatorship, Civilian Rule, Democracy
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(1) Sohail Ahmed
Assistant Professor, Department of Humanities, COMSATS, Islamabad, Pakistan.
(2) Mahwish Bakht
Research Scholar, MSIR, COMSATS, Islamabad, Pakistan.
(3) Sumbal Hussan
Junior Research Fellow at HRC, Islamabad, Pakistan.