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Afghanistan in 2021: The End of the Republic and the Return of the Islamic Emirate
At the beginning of 2021, Afghans faced another year of conflict and economic challenge, retaining some semblance of hope that their leadership and the Taliban would be able to reach a political resettlement through the intra-Afghan Peace Talks. In August,…
Looking Back at 2021: SAV’s Top Reads
2021 marked significant developments for South Asia. Governments contended with challenges on both domestic and geopolitical fronts: from mass COVID-19 outbreaks created by new variants to heightened great-power competition between the U.S. and China to the sudden takeover of the…
Sri Lanka in 2021: Trouble Ahead For One of Asia’s Oldest Democracies
At the Biden administration’s Summit for Democracy this December, one of the oldest democracies in Asia, Sri Lanka, was kept off the invite list. The failure to receive an invitation reflects the ongoing democratic backsliding under the semi-autocratic rule of…
A Case for a Feminist Foreign Policy in Bangladesh
“Around the world, there is a pushback on women’s rights. […] We will push back against the pushback. And we will keep pushing. For wholesale change. For rapid change. And for the meaningful change our world needs, starting by addressing…
The Evolution of Homegrown Militancy in Kashmir Since August 5, 2019
Militant groups in Kashmir appeared to be in tactical retreat due to an unprecedented communication lockdown and the heavy deployment of troops in every nook and corner of the valley following the revocation of Kashmir’s special status on August 5,…
Pakistan’s Evolving Nuclear Security Culture
In the over two decades since its 1998 nuclear tests, Pakistan has taken important steps to strengthen its nuclear safety as well as develop and enhance its nuclear security culture—defined by the IAEA as: “the assembly of characteristics, attitudes and…