Political and Social Change in Pakistan’s Tribal Areas

This book analyses agency and place of youth within the Pashtun tribal social order in Pakistan. It looks at Pashtun youth as a separate social category, analysing their changing trends of political leadership in Pakistan's former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

Presenting an in-depth ethnographic inquiry into the intricate dynamics of political leadership manifest among the Pashtun youth hailing from the erstwhile FATA, this book adds more depth to the understanding of political developments and the peculiar relationship between FATA and Pakistan in general. The author argues that events following the Soviet invasion and post-9/11 have disrupted traditional age-based relations in Pashtun society, enabling young adults to assert their political agency in unprecedented ways. This book demonstrates how Pashtun youth have emerged at the forefront of politics through avenues such as Talibanisation, migration, elite politics, and the Pashtun social movement. These young individuals are redefining politics in FATA and across Pakistan, playing a pivotal role in shaping new relationships between the Pashtun community and the Pakistani nation. By demystifying longstanding misconceptions and stereotypes perpetuated since British colonial times and post-independence Pakistan and the evolving political dynamics in the context of the post-withdrawal phase of US forces from Afghanistan in August 2021, this book provides new empirical evidence and insights into social injustices faced by Pashtun youth.

Analysing themes such as political alliances among diverse youth groups, identity politics, expressions of agency, migration, and the importance of urban spaces for activism and rights claims, the study sheds light on the dynamic role of Pashtun youth in contemporary South Asia, making it essential reading for understanding the region's socio-political landscape. It will be of interest to researchers studying politics and society in Pakistan and Afghanistan, anthropology, and post-conflict reconstruction in South Asia.

Naveed Ahmad Shinwari is a renowned conflict expert and peacebuilding expert and senior consultant working for UN agencies, international and national NGOs. With over 27 years of experience in the development sector, he excels in driving sustainable impact through innovative development, peacebuilding, and social justice initiatives. He earned his PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Sussex, UK. As a prolific researcher, he has conducted over 40 qualitative and quantitative studies on conflict, peace, migration, and informal justice systems in Pakistan, and his scholarly work includes more than a dozen publications that have profoundly influenced policy and practice in the region.

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