Rounaq Jahan

Rounaq Jahan
Bodil Maal · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Rounaq Jahan
Birth date	1939
Birth place	Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India
Occupation	Political scientist, public policy analyst, professor
Alma mater	University of Dhaka; Smith College; Columbia University

Rounaq Jahan is a Bangladeshi political scientist, public intellectual, and policy analyst known for scholarship on Bangladesh Liberation War, South Asia, women's rights, and development policy. She has held academic posts at institutions such as the University of Dhaka and international organizations including United Nations Development Programme and has advised governments and non-governmental organizations across Asia, Africa, and North America. Her work bridges comparative politics, public administration, and humanitarian studies, engaging with issues that involve actors like the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Amnesty International, and Oxfam.

Early life and education

Born in Calcutta in 1939 during the British Raj, she moved with family amid the geopolitical shifts culminating in the Partition of India (1947) and later the emergence of Pakistan and ultimately Bangladesh after 1971. She completed undergraduate studies at the University of Dhaka and pursued further education at Smith College and Columbia University, where she engaged with scholars associated with Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs, comparative scholars linked to Harvard University and Princeton University, and researchers from centers like the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

Academic career and research

Her academic career includes professorships and research appointments at the University of Dhaka, visiting positions at Harvard University, and collaborative research with institutes such as the International Labour Organization and the International Development Research Centre. Her research covers topics adjacent to the Bangladesh Liberation War, post-conflict reconstruction in South Asia, administrative reform relating to institutions like the Civil Service of Pakistan and Bangladesh Civil Service, and gender policy intersecting with organizations such as UNICEF and UN Women. She has examined state-society relations involving political formations like the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, and comparative cases including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.

Public service and policy influence

Beyond academia, she has contributed to policy dialogues with multilateral actors such as the United Nations and United Nations Development Programme, advising on matters tied to the aftermath of the Bangladesh Liberation War and the design of programs with the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. She has been involved with civil society networks including BRAC, Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee, and policy forums linked to think tanks like the Centre for Policy Dialogue and the International Crisis Group. Her advisory roles engaged elected officials from parties such as the Awami League and institutions like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Bangladesh), while interfacing with international NGOs including Save the Children and CARE International.

Publications and major works

Her major works include monographs and edited volumes addressing governance, gender, and development, contributing to scholarly debates alongside authors associated with Amartya Sen, Martha Nussbaum, Partha Chatterjee, and Francis Fukuyama. She has published analyses in journals and outlets connected to editorial boards at Columbia University Press, Oxford University Press, and periodicals linked to The Economic and Political Weekly and the Journal of South Asian Studies. Her writings explore comparative cases involving India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and transnational themes relevant to agencies like the United Nations Development Programme and the World Health Organization.

Awards and honors

Her career has been recognized by academic and civic awards from institutions such as the University of Dhaka, regional bodies linked to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, and international organizations including the United Nations and International Development Research Centre. She has received honors that place her among scholars and practitioners acknowledged by forums associated with the Asia Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and centers like the Center for the Study of Developing Societies.

Category:Bangladeshi academics Category:Political scientists Category:1939 births Category:Living people