Distinguished Professor Ali Riaz published an essay on the challenges to governance in South Asia.
The essay, titled “Four Challenges to Governance in South Asia,” was published in the Daily Star Weekend. Riaz argues that South Asian countries face challenges including contesting sources of state legitimacy, the absence of inclusivity in politics and economy, and the absence of rule of law and neopatrimonialism. He further insists that the neoliberal policies adopted by the South Asian states have not increased the effectiveness of the states. The “developmentalist” arguments, obsession with gross domestic product growth and business friendly policies in the name of reforms have brought globalization close to home but accelerated disparity, he writes.
Distinguished Professor Ali Riaz
The essay is based on his presentation at the1st International Conference on Governance in the 21st Century in South Asia: Challenges and Ways Forward, organized by the Department of Government and Politics of Jahangirnagar University. Political scientists from the region presented papers at the conference held July 7–8.
Riaz further argued the policies have marginalized a large section of the society and created a permanent underclass.
