I am an Associate Professor and Director of the International Education Program at New York University's Steinhardt School, Affiliated Faculty at NYU's Wilf Family Department of Politics, at NYU Abu Dhabi, and an Affiliate of the Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies at Columbia University. I am an Associate Professor at the Center for Economic Research and Policy (CERP) in Lahore, Pakistan. I am also the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal on Education in Emergencies.
My research focuses on the effects of conflict on education, the efforts of humanitarian organizations to mitigate these effects, and the relationship between education and political violence or peace. I am particularly interested in research that can be used to inform policy and that has the potential to help state and non-state actors create positive social change. I use diverse research methods including qualitative case studies and complex field experiments (also known as randomized controlled trials) that rely on both large-scale surveys and in-depth, qualitative interviews.
My research focuses on the effects of conflict on education, the efforts of humanitarian organizations to mitigate these effects, and the relationship between education and political violence or peace. I am particularly interested in research that can be used to inform policy and that has the potential to help state and non-state actors create positive social change. I use diverse research methods including qualitative case studies and complex field experiments (also known as randomized controlled trials) that rely on both large-scale surveys and in-depth, qualitative interviews.
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Schools for Conflict or For Peace in Afghanistan
examines the complex motivations and effects of aid to education in Afghanistan beginning with the US support for "jihad literacy" to undermine the Soviets in the 1980s and tracing how politically biased education programs can contribute to creating conditions for conflict. The book argues for a sounder understanding of the role of education in state-building and recommends ways education may contribute to sustainable peace through expanded access to education with neutral, quality curriculum. Learn more about the book and order it at Columbia University Press or Amazon. |
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Winner of the
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Research HighlightThe Assessment of Learning Outcomes and Social Effects (ALSE) of Community-Based Education research project aims to understand the best ways to create effective and sustainable community-based education in Afghanistan. ALSE is a mixed-methods, randomized controlled trial (RCT) assessing the Community-Based Education Enhancement Program (CBEEP) implemented by CARE Afghanistan and CRS Afghanistan. The study’s sample includes 195 villages in six provinces of Afghanistan.
More Information Visit the ALSE website here for additional background and project resources, including research briefs and policy publications. Please click here to learn more about my other research, including the Lyle Spencer Foundation-funded Tracking Hope in Nairobi and Karachi (THINK) project. |
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