PCR Welcomes a New Intern

Hi, I’m Nida Jafrani and I will be joining the Post-Conflict Reconstruction (PCR) team this spring. I grew up in Hoffman Estates, IL and graduated from the George Washington University in December 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs and concentrations in Middle Eastern studies, Politics, and African studies. I can speak Urdu fluently and I am currently working on my Arabic. I spent a semester in Rabat, Morocco with AMIDEAST studying the Maghreb region, developing my spoken Arabic, and teaching English. I also participated in an intensive Urdu language program in Lucknow, India, through the U.S. Department of State.  

My research interests lie at the intersection of governance, global security, and development. My senior thesis examined the scale of change in the areas of political Islam and reform of divine sources in Turkey and Morocco. I explored the idea that Islam lends legitimacy to state-led reforms of the political and social spheres in both countries, which will allow for their greater success in the long term. I also did research on the sources of support for groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, which ties in well with the current PCR research on the Taliban. My interest in development led me to volunteer with a GW-based program to assist Sudanese refugees in accessing higher education. All of these varied interests combine in creating my desire to learn about post-conflict reconstruction in different contexts across the globe.

I look forward to assisting with research, updating the blog, and monitoring Pakistani media for PCR. I’m happy to be here at CSIS and I plan to complete an advanced degree in International Relations and eventually pursue a career in international development and cooperation.

Flickr photo by crysb used under a Creative Commons license.