The Pakistan History Workshop 2025 commenced on December 18 with the launch of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences in Pakistan: Perspectives from BNU, a collaborative volume featuring contributions from faculty across all BNU schools. The publication reflects the university’s interdisciplinary research culture and collective scholarly vision.
The opening session featured talks by Dr. Waqas Sajjad, Dr. Tahir Kamran, and Dr. Moeed Yusuf, followed by an interactive discussion led by Ms. Tania Fraz and Dr. Zainab Ahmed. The session concluded with a formal welcome address by Dr. Kevin Greenbank, Zahra Sabri, and Dr. Sana Haroon, marking the official inauguration of the workshop.
Day two brought together scholars from Pakistan and abroad for a series of panel discussions exploring memory, power, identity, and historical narratives. Sessions examined public memory, grassroots histories, nationalism, resistance, and reinterpretations of colonial legacies through diverse methodological lenses.
The day also featured book talks including Questioning Migrants: Ethnic Nationalism at the Limits of Pakistan and Citizens to Traitors: Bengali Internment in Pakistan, 1971–1974, offering critical insights into migration, citizenship, and state narratives.
The final day of the workshop examined economy, culture, power, and historical change across Pakistan and South Asia. Panels explored rural economies, cultural heritage, endangered languages, sacred spaces, and evolving approaches within Pakistan Studies.
The workshop concluded with discussions on state violence, exclusion, and governance, followed by a concluding roundtable reflecting on emerging themes and future directions in historical research.
