noted

Iran 2009 = US 2000 or maybe Iran 2009 = US 2006 or maybe Iran 2009 = US 2008 or maybe Iran 2009 = Pakistan 2007. I grow weary of all the punditry but the images are arresting. I especially love the one above, which appeared on NYT. The banner states: Patience, Dawn is Near. [...]

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Well, the Chicago adventure has run its course. Off to Berlin, where I will be joining the Freie Universität faculty as a Juniorprofessur of South Asia history in the Department of History and Cultural Studies and the Berlin Graduate School of Muslim Cultures and Societies.
Which means: Transitions!
The good news, I presume, is that CM will [...]

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I endorse both!

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After two years, Dr. Sen was finally released on bail by the Supreme Court. See Free Dr. Binayak Sen and, somewhat related, New Prisons for Old.

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You have so many interlocuters here, here, here and here that to respond to your answer to my earlier comment, I am afraid that I have to move it up here above the fold.
We finally come to the nub of the matter. Your response makes it crystal clear that in your reading Taliban = [...]

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“(The New York Times put him on a retainer for several months after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, when he was working as a journalist, to help its correspondents better understand Pakistan.)” (emphasis mine.)
Oh NYT, why do you always fall for those “silver-tongued interpreters“.

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I know, the ubiquity is bothersome but bear with me.
I.
Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez were kind enough to host me this morning on their show, Democracy Now!: Manan Ahmed on the Politics of US “Hysteria” over Pakistan
II.
The excellent UAE National gave me space to develop my argument about the Pakistani “failed state”: Legends of [...]

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I actually have a post on the cinemas of Pakistan, including the Capital hall and the insane cultural war they represent. (No, it’s not what you’d think). In any case, Sabrina Tavernise in the NYT on the contradictions of Pakistan.

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I am so looking forward to the next 7 years and 200 odd days left.

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Back when The Wire was ending its run, the Freaknomics blog hosted Sudhir Venkatesh watching the tv serial with some “real thugs”. The first post had too much smarm for me to continue following it (Warren Buffet? WTF? It’s RUPERT MURDOCH, dude).
I forgot and moved on. But after reading TR’s damning review of his memoir/book, [...]

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Adaner Usmani sent this to a mutual listserv. I believe it should be noted.

there are anywhere from a dozen to two dozen haris from a village in sanghar on their fifteenth day of a hunger strike outside the karachi press club. they are protesting the violent excesses of a neighboring feudal who has been eyeing [...]

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I have greatly learned, and thoroughly enjoyed, a series of discussion on Judith Bennett’s History Matters. The response from Judith Bennett (and, what a response!) also includes links to the discussion before. Go read. I promise you, that you will learn. If only we had more SAists running blogs, I would love to do the [...]

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