Research | Tahmina Rashid

My research and development practice journey though thematically focused on Gender, development, social justice, and human rights is an attempt to respectfully narrates lived experiences of people and communities. I have been privileged to meet people from rural Punjab, peri-urban & urban communities in Pakistan; urban slums in Dhaka, as well as inspiring human rights activists and academics in Bangladesh; migrant Muslim communities in Australia; communities living across Langkawi Islands/around UNESCO world heritage site -Kilim geoforest Park, & Langat River, in Selangor, Malaysia; Mayoyao Rice Terraces in UNESCO world heritage site in the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras; Siem Reap, Angkor Wat UNESCO world heritage sites in Cambodia; and in Dili, Timor-Leste.

Gender, Feminism, Women's Rights

Contested Representation critically examines diverse feminist perspectives in the context of Pakistan and examines how these perspectives incorporate and represent the situation of Punjabi women. The book makes use of the archival material from the public and private collections and provides a historical account of the efforts of various regimes to introduce laws that impact on the socio-economic wellbeing of women, noting that improving the lives and status of women has never been a priority for the governments. Even though the notion of class is no longer in vogue this work examines the relationship between class and gender and how these impact upon the rights of women and opportunities available to them. These conclusions are drawn from extensive fieldwork, and over 40 individual interviews with women in rural and semi-urban areas, as well as various NGOs located in Punjab. The work highlights the negative impact of dominant patriarchal system, vales and mores that accepts practices like child marriage, dowry and harassment among others. The work then examines how the women from different classes felt represented in mainstream feminist debates in Pakistan and its potential impact on women. The book concludes that “in the absence of any linkages and convergence between various players and lower/lower class women, the gender development activities of the State and non-State actors as well as international donors and development agencies will not succeed in bringing about any substantial improvement in the condition and status of Pakistani women”. Paradoxically the situation has not improved in all these years.

Rashid, Tahmina, (2016) Women at Risk: Militancy in Pakistan, in Kalia, Ravi, (Ed.), Pakistan's Political Labyrinths: Military, Society and Terror, New York: Routledge. Pp. 155-173. This chapter is based on extensive fieldwork and interviews with women in upper Swat valley.

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Rashid, Tahmina, (2011) Negotiating Rights through Transnational puritan networks: Religious discourses; cyber technology and Pakistani women, in Ahmad, Ishtiaq, The Politics of Religion in South and Southeast Asia. London: Routledge, Pp. 242-260. This chapter is based on in-depth interviews with women, associated with various religious networks in Australia.

Rashid, Tahmina, (2011) Empowerment and subordination of Pakistani women through Patriarchy; Elitism; Class & Gender Discourses, in Kalia, Ravi, (Ed.), Pakistan: From the Rhetoric of Democracy to the Rise of Militancy. New Delhi: Routledge. PP. 85-104

Rashid, Tahmina, (2010) Migration and Belonging: Brown Muslim Women’s Experience in Australia, in Singh, Supriya, & Babacan, Alperhan, Migration, Belonging and the Nation State, Newcastle (UK): Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Pp. 105-132. This chapter is based on interviews with diaspora women in Australia.

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Rashid, Tahmina, (2008) Women’s Rights Movement in Pakistan, in Hasnat, Syed Farooq, & Farouqui, Ahmed, Unresolved Issues of the Pakistani Society and State, Lahore: Vanguard, Pp. 175-197

Rashid, Tahmina & Chauhan, Khalid, (2015), Violence Against Women (VAW) In Azad Jammu& Kashmir (AJK): Explorations in the Role of Police department, OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development, Vol. 8, No. 11, Pp. 43-56

Rashid, Tahmina & Makuwira, Jonathan, (2014), Global financial crisis and women's micro-lending innovations in Pakistan and Malawi, Development in Practice, Vol. 24, No. 1, Pp. 35 – 50. DOI: 10.1080/09614524.2014.867927. This article is based on interviews with women in Pakistan and Malawi.

Rashid, Tahmina, (2009), Militarized Masculinities, Female Bodies, and 'Security Discourse' in Post-9/11 Pakistan, Strategic Analysis, Vol. 33, Issue 4, July. Pp. 566 – 578

Rashid, Tahmina, (2008), Masculine Notions of Justice for Female Victims in Pakistan, South Asia Journal, Issue 21, July. Pp. 65-81

Rashid, Tahmina, (2008), Politics of Female Body: Pakistan’s military and religious elite, Asian Profile, Vol. 36. No.1,

Rashid, Tahmina, (2006), Radical Islamic Movements: Gender Construction in Jamat-i-Islami and Tablighi Jamat in Pakistan, Strategic Analysis, Vol. 30, No. 2, Apr-Jun, Pp. 354-376

Rashid, Tahmina, (2004), Politics of Participation and Representation: A Gendered Perspective from South Asia, Journal of the Research Society of Pakistan, Vol. XXXXI, NO. 1, July, Pp. 27-50

Rashid, Tahmina, (2004), Socio-Economic Dynamics in South Asia: Role and Status of Women, Pakistan Vision, Vol.5, NO. 1, July. Pp. 1-26

Rashid, Tahmina, (2003), War and Armed Conflicts: Impact on Women and Children, Journal of Research (Humanities), Volume-XXXVIII, Number-2, July, Pp.55-77

Rashid, Tahmina, (2002), Feminist Debates: A Pakistani Context, Al-Siyasa- A Journal of Politics, Society and Culture, Issue III, Fall, Pp. 75-92

Development, Aid & Communities

This edited volume opens a discussion on international development as a discipline and endeavours to highlight the need of forging collaborative relationships between the academia and development agencies to enhance the development aid effectiveness.

Rashid, Tahmina, (2011) Why It Matters: Role of Academia in Development and Aid Effectiveness, in Rashid, Tahmina; Flanagan, Jason, (Eds.) International Development: Linking academia with Development Aid & Effectiveness, Saarbrücken: LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing. Pp. 1-12

Rashid, Tahmina, (2011) Learning by Doing: Stories from the ‘sites of development’, in Rashid, Tahmina; Flanagan, Jason, (Eds.) International Development: Linking academia with Development Aid & Effectiveness, Saarbrücken: LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing. Pp. 112-135.

Rashid, Tahmina, (2020) Adult Literacy/Recurrent Education Programme in Timor-Leste. Studies in the Education of Adults. 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/02660830.2020.1744873. This article is based on interviews conducted in the adult learning centres in Dili.

Rashid, Tahmina, (2020) Local Community and Policy Maker Perspectives on Sustainable Livelihoods, Tourism, Environment, and Waste Management in Siem Reap/Angkor Cambodia, International Journal of Asia Pacific Studies. 16:1. 1-37, http://ijaps.usm.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/IJAPS1612020A11-37.pdf. This article is based on extensive field research and interviews with policy makers and local community members.
Khalid, Seemab; Rashid, Tahmina, (2019) Inclusive community development—the One Village One Product Program in Pakistan. Development Bulletin. No. 81. Pp. 90-96. This article is based on extensive field work and individual interviews.

Rashid, Tahmina, (2015), Theatre for Community Development: Street Theatre as an Agent of Change in Punjab (Pakistan) India Quarterly, Vol. 71, No. 4, Pp. 1–13. DOI: 10.1177/0974928415602604. This chapter is based on extensive fieldwork and interviews with rural communities and members of the theatre group.

Rashid, Tahmina, (2012), Grameen and the Politics of Development in Bangladesh, India Quarterly, Vol. 68, No.3, Pp. 215-230, Doi: 10.1177/0974928412454601

Social Media, Civil Society, Politics

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Rashid, Tahmina, (2011) Australia’s War On Terrorism: Impact on Australian Muslim Communities, in Babacan, Alperhan; Tahiri, Hussein, Counter Terrorism and Social Cohesion, Newcastle (UK): Cambridge Scholars Publishing. Pp. 61-80

Rashid, Tahmina, (2011) Radicalisation of civil society: A Case study of Pakistan, New Delhi, in Pattanaik, Smruti S. South Asia: Envisioning a Regional Future, New Delhi: Pentagon Security International, PP. 149-168

Rashid, Tahmina, (2021) Social Media, Sexual Harassment and the Politics of Class and Gender – Exploring Sexual Harassment Incidents in Pakistan. Asian Profile. 49:2. 99-111.

Rashid, Tahmina, (2019) Social Media, Religion and Religiosity in Pakistan in the Era of Disruption, Hamdard Islamicus. Vol. XLII, No. 1 & 2, Pp. 33-56.

Rashid, Tahmina, (2007), Configuration of National Identity and Citizenship in Australia: Migration, Ethnicity and Religious Minorities, Alternatives, Vol. 6, No. 2& 3, Fall & Winter, Pp. 1-27,

Rashid, Tahmina, (2007), Secular State, Citizenship and the Matrix of Globalized Religious Identity, Alternatives, Vol. 6, No. 1& 2, Spring &Summer, Pp. 156-175

Hasnat, Syed Farooq, & Rashid, Tahmina, (2004), Politics in Pakistan: Problems of Active Participation and Political Process, Nepali Journal of Contemporary Studies, Vol. IV, No.1, March, Pp. 39-58

Hasnat, Syed Farooq, & Rashid, Tahmina, (2004), Implications of the Terrorist Attacks on the US: Its fallout on the Socio-Political Scene in Pakistan, IPRI Journal, Vol. IV, No.1, Winter 2004, Pp. 93-106,

Rashid, Tahmina, (2003), Global Terrorism and Counter Terrorism: Pakistan’s Response to the Emerging Challenges, Pakistan Defence Review, Vol.17, Winter, Pp.31-52

Hasnat, Farooq & Rashid, Tahmina, (2003), Shifting Power Balance in the Gulf: An Appraisal of the Major Power’s Manoeuvres, Journal of Research (Humanities), Volume-XXXVIII, No.1, January, Pp. 43-107

Project Management

Rashid, Tahmina; Mohiuddin, Ahmed; Saeed, Munir A. (2020) A New Era of Project Management using Blockchain Technology, in Blockchain for Data Analytics. Ed. Mohiuddin, Ahmed. UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. Pp. 67-91.

Rashid, Tahmina & Chauhan, Khalid, (2020), Cyber Security in the Public Sector: Awareness of potential risks among Public Policy executives, In “Security Analytics for Internet of Everything.” in Security Analytics for the Internet of Everything. Eds. Ahmed, Mohiuddin; Barkat, A.; Pathan, Al-Sakib. UK: CRC Press. Pp. 67-91. This chapter is based on 54 interviews with senior public servants.

Munir A. Saeed; Tahmina Rashid; Mohiuddin Ahmed. (2020). Saeed, Munir A.; Rashid, Tahmina; Mohiuddin, Ahmed; (2020) A Benefit Realization Approach to Cyber Security Projects in the Public Sector Organization. in Security Analytics for the Internet of Everything. Eds. Ahmed, Mohiuddin; Barkat, A.; Pathan, Al-Sakib. UK: CRC Press. Pp. 93-114.

Saeed, Munir Ahmad; Rashid, Tahmina (2020) Benefits Management–Between Dreams and Realities. Project Governance and Controls Annual Review (PGCAR). https://www.pgcs.org.au/files/5416/0618/3072/2020-PGCAR-Munir.pdf

Saeed, Munir Ahmad; Abbasi, Alireza; Rashid, Tahmina.(2019) Project Benefits Realization- Academics’ Aspiration or Practitioners’ Nightmare. PGCAR. https://www.pgcs.org.au/academic-papers/papers/#PRS

And some other Publications

Lutfi; Rashid, Tahmina (2019), Tafsir and social political context in Indonesia: a case study on Ahmad Sanusi’s interpretation as a medium of struggle in colonial era. Journal of Education and Social Sciences, Vol. 13, Issue 1, Pp. 1-8.

Linser, R. & Rashid, Tahmina, (2011) Role-Play Simulation as Alternative to work experience Placement. E-Learn: World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education. Ho, C. & Lin, M-F. G. (eds.). United States: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE), p. 1423-1432 10 p. (International Journal on E-Learning (IJEL). This article is based on 'playing a role in a simulation' as an alternative to internships/work experience.