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Bangladesh: Beyond the Binaries – A talk by Ali Riaz

November 14, 2016 @ 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Bangladesh: Beyond the Binaries
A talk by Ali Riaz (Illinois State University)

Bangladesh, the eighth most populous country in the world, has recently attracted international media attention due to the dramatic rise of militancy tied to transnational terrorist groups. The coverage, unfortunately, followed a familiar pattern of portraying the country’s politics as a conflict between Secularism and Islamism on the one hand and a battle between personalities, on the other. Since its independence in 1971, corruption and growing intolerance have reflected the weaknesses of the state and undermined its capacity. The authoritarian tendency of the ruling elites, palpable throughout the past 45 years, was and still is, contrary to the democratic aspirations and sacrifices of its citizens. Interestingly, despite acrimonious politics and poor governance, the country has demonstrated significant economic potential and achieved successes in areas such as female education, population control and reductions in child mortality. Based on his recently published book Bangladesh: A Political History since Independence (2016), Ali Riaz examines the political processes that engendered these paradoxical tendencies. He argues that the binary frame used to understand Bangladeshi politics betrays the complexity of the nation’s tumultuous journey and future trajectories.

Ali Riaz is University Professor and the Chair of the Department of Politics and Government at Illinois State University, at Normal, Illinois.  His primary areas of interest are political Islam, madrassahs, South Asian politics, and Bangladeshi politics. He has taught at Dhaka University and was a Public Policy Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington D.C. From 1995-2000, he was Senior Broadcast Journalist for the BBC World Service, Bengali Section, in London. Among his many publications include Bangladesh: A Political History since Independence (2016); Islam and Identity Politics among British-Bangladeshis: A Leap of Faith (2013); Inconvenient Truths about Bangladeshi Politics (2012); a volume of essays co-edited with Christine Fair, Political Islam and Governance in Bangladesh (2011), another edited volume, Religion and Politics in South Asia (2010); Faithful Education: Madrassahs in South Asia (2008); and Islamist Militancy in Bangladesh: A Complex Web (2008). His talk will be based on his most recent publication.

Venue

South Asia Institute @ Knox Hall, Room 208
606 W 122nd St, New York, NY 10027

Contact:

212-854-5514

Details

Date:
November 14, 2016
Time:
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
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