Nuclear Imminence in Contemporary Indo‐Pakistani Conflict

November of 2008 saw frightening attacks on India’s foreigners. Over the course of three days, hostages had been taken, hotels and restaurants in India’s busiest city of Mumbai were burned and English, American and Canadian citizens lay among the nearly 200 dead. Pakistani terrorists were arrested and held accountable for this act of brutality. However, it seemed that tensions had just begun. The upset of peace in Indo-Pakistani relations fuelled the international communities’ fear of a nuclear war between the two nations. This paper will address this concern and discover that such acts of terrorism do not reflect nuclear imminence due to tensions between the Indian and Pakistani states. However, they do reflect unrest within Indian and Pakistani civil society; a civil society that is both tied and fragmented by ethnic and religious identity. The fear of nuclear war in this historically conflicted region of South East Asia may aid in the plight for peace by forcing these states to accept international norms and treaties on nuclear proliferation

Common mental disorders and ethnicity in England : the EMPIRIC Study

Background. There is little population-based evidence on ethnic variation in the most common mental disorders (CMD), anxiety and depression. We compared the prevalence of CMD among representative samples of White, Irish, Black Caribbean, Bangladeshi, Indian and Pakistani individuals living in England using a standardized clinical interview. Method. Cross-sectional survey of 4281 adults aged 16–74 years living in private households in England. CMD were assessed using the Revised Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS-R), a standardized clinical interview. Results. Ethnic differences in the prevalence of CMD were modest, and some variation with age and sex was noted. Compared to White counterparts, the prevalence of CMD was higher to a statistically significant degree among Irish [adjusted rate ratios (RR) 2.09, 95% CI 1.16–2.95, p=0.02] and Pakistani (adjusted RR 2.38, 95% CI 1.25–3.53, p=0.02) men aged 35–54 years, even after adjusting for differences in socio-economic status. Higher rates of CMD were also observed among Indian and Pakistani women aged 55–74 years, compared to White women of similar age. The prevalence of CMD among Bangladeshi women was lower than among White women, although this was restricted to those not interviewed in English. There were no differences in rates between Black Caribbean and White samples. Conclusions. Middle-aged Irish and Pakistani men, and older Indian and Pakistani women, had significantly higher rates of CMD than their White counterparts. The very low prevalence of CMD among Bangladeshi women contrasted with high levels of socio-economic deprivation among this group. Further study is needed to explore reasons for this variation

Embodying gender, age, ethnicity and power in ‘the field’: Reflections on dress and the presentation of the self in research with older Pakistani Muslims

This article is available open access through the publisher’s website at the link below. Copyright @ 2012 Sociological Research Online.In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in researching people growing older in the South Asian ethnic minority communities in the UK. However, these populations have received comparatively little attention in wide-ranging discussions on culturally and socially appropriate research methodologies. In this paper, we draw on the experiences of a young female Pakistani Muslim researcher researching older Pakistani Muslim women and men, to explore the significance of gender, age and ethnicity to fieldwork processes and 'field' relationships. In particular, we highlight the significance of dress and specific presentations of the embodied self within the research process. We do so by focusing upon three key issues: (1) Insider/Outsider boundaries and how these boundaries are continuously and actively negotiated in the field through the use of dress and specific presentations of the embodied 'self'; (2) The links between gender, age and space - more specifically, how the researcher's use of traditional Pakistani dress, and her differing research relationships, are influenced by the older Pakistani Muslim participants' gendered use of public and private space; and (3) The opportunities and vulnerabilities experienced by the researcher in the field, reinforced by her use (or otherwise) of the traditional and feminine Pakistani Muslim dress. Our research therefore highlights the role of different presentations of the embodied 'self' to fieldwork processes and relationships, and illustrates how age, gender and status intersect to produce fluctuating insider/outsider boundaries as well as different opportunities and experiences of power and vulnerability within research relationships.ESR

Exploring Intersections of Employment and Ethnicity Amongst British Pakistani Young Men.

This article draws upon research conducted amongst young British Pakistani men in Lancashire to explore how different boundaries of British Pakistani identity are being constructed. It focuses on the significance of employment within Pakistani men\'s inter and intra-ethnic peer group relations and the ways in which the social dynamics that underlie those relations provide the context for understanding the particular nature and form that ethnicity takes. It does this through the narratives of professional and non-professional men. The article has two aims, firstly it seeks to contribute to the literature on understanding ethnic identity by looking at boundaries as they manifest themselves and suggesting one way in which ethnicity can be understood within a specific social context. Secondly, in so doing it hopes to extend research focus on British Pakistanis away from conventional agendas.Employment, Ethnicity, Class, British Pakistani Men

The Tamil Hero and His Tribe

Short story about a Pakistani expatriate and his wife who move to Lumut in Burma and meet a neighbouring Tamil family

Reactions and perceptions of healthcare professional towards wireless devices in healthcare environment in the developing world: a case of Pakistan

This study explored reactions and perceptions of medical professionals in the use of wireless technology in the Pakistani healthcare setting. 300 professionals were surveyed with 97 survey forms returned. The regression analysis indicates that clinical performance and better quality of services would be the determinants in using wireless technology in Pakistani healthcare. These medical professionals felt that in order to continuously use the technology, training and technical supports are essential. They also felt that the introduction of such a technology would result in the attraction of more practitioners, save time, save effort and provide high quality information. Collectively, these factors, in the opinion of these professionals will reduce inaccuracies in data